Genital Problems in Infants

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See complete list of symptom flow charts

**The following is a general guideline from the American Medical Association. The flowchart below allows you to easily track your symptoms and come to a possible diagnosis. Be sure to consult with you doctor if you feel you have a serious medical problem.

I did not produce this chart myself, so any treatment options on this page are completely conventional.The following flowchart was reproduced with permission.

SYMPTOMS		DIAGNOSIS	SELF-CARE

MALE GENITAL PROBLEMS	No	Go to FEMALE GENITAL PROBLEMS below
Begin Here
1. Does your son seem to have one or both testicles missing?	Yes	Your son may have an UNDESCENDED TESTICLE.	See your child’s doctor.
No
2. Does the urine seem to come from the shaft of your son’s penis instead of the tip and does your son’s penis curve downward?	Yes	The urethra is a tube through which urine drains from the bladder. HYPOSPADIAS is a condition in which the opening of the urethra is located along the shaft of the penis.	See your child’s doctor. HYPOSPADIAS may need to be surgically corrected.
No
3. Is there still is a lot of skin surrounding the tip of your son’s penis even though your son has been circumcised?	Yes	Your son may have had an INCOMPLETE CIRCUMCISION.	Carefully clean the foreskin on a regular basis. See your child’s doctor to check whether the surgery needs to be repeated to correct the problem.
No
4. Does it seem like your son’s foreskin is too tight to pull back?	Yes	This condition is called PHIMOSIS.	See your child’s doctor.
No
5. Is it difficult to tell the sex of your infant at birth or shortly after?		AMBIGUOUS GENITALIA is a birth defect in which the genitals are not well-formed and are difficult to identify.	Your child’s doctor may perform some tests to identify the sex of your baby. Treatment may include hormone replacement or surgery.

FEMALE GENITAL PROBLEMS
Begin Here
1. Does your infant daughter have a thick discharge or bleeding from the vaginal opening?	Yes	This may be related to an INFECTION in the vagina or in the bladder. Rarely, a TUMOR or TEAR of the tissues will cause bleeding.	See your child’s doctor.
No
2. Is it difficult to tell the sex of your infant at birth or shortly after?	Yes	AMBIGUOUS GENITALIA is a birth defect in which the genitals are not well-formed and are difficult to identify.	Your child’s doctor may perform some tests to identify the sex of your baby. Treatment may include hormone replacement or surgery.
No
For more information, please talk to your doctor. If you think the problem is serious, call your doctor right away.

See complete list of symptom flow charts

This tool has been reviewed by doctors and is for general educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice. The information in this tool should not be relied upon to make decisions about your health. Always consult your family doctor with questions about your individual condition(s) and/or circumstances.

Source: American Medical Association (2008-04-21). American Medical Association Family Medical Guide (AMA Family Medical Guide) (Kindle Locations 6690-6691). Turner Publishing Co.. Kindle Edition.