5Yr Old Daughter Complains of Vaginal Itching.

Sounds like when my daughter (at that age) would get yeast infections from not wiping properly. You need to take her to the doctor to have it diagnosed and get the proper medicine. It can be very itchy and uncomfortable for little kids, so the sooner you get her in the better for her.

If she is showering rather than bathing, it could be that she has not been able to rinse properly if she is using soap.

Make sure she is wiping front to back, that can cause some problems.

Any recent changes in soap, laundry detergent, etc?

Has she spent any time sitting around in a wet swimsuit?

It's possible that she has a yeast infection but in little girls that kind of thing is less common due to lack of hormones, cycles, etc.

You can use an over the counter cream like vagisil or an itch cream and see if things resolve on their own.

I would be very careful taking her to a doctor and definitely do not have any type of internal exam- at her age and lack of estrogen it would be very painful. I took my daughter in for a similar issue and only I touched her while doctor looked and only with her permission. Be sure the doctor is sensitive to her- at this age it can be traumatic.

it may be a yeast infection, I would take her in.

if she uses bubble bath that could be the culprit. most peditricians advice against using bubblebath because it can be an irritant and can cause yeast infections.

I would take her to the pedi to rule out any infections.

That said, it could be the wiping issue, yeast infection, etc.

My daughter and I cannot take a bath or we will get an infection, just like clockwork. We've been a shower family for years.

Another thing that helps is to use the blow dryer on low after shower/bath to completely dry the area, we sleep with no undies to air out and all that helps too.

Any change in soaps can mess us up as well.

If it is yeast, she made need an antifungal med. We both drink a DanActive daily and since we started that routine, the occurnaces have been super low. I buy it at Costco in packs of 24 for about $12 each. It is a great product for us, no more infections etc.

I had the same reaction when I was younger.. we came to figure out that it was the laundry detergent. My mom had to wash my clothes in baby detergent and rinse twice.. I only used dove soap with no fragerance, rarely took bath's.

Good luck..

Like many have pointed out, it may be a yeast infection or it may be a mild rash caused by not wiping well enough. I don't want to suggest that you don't take your daughter to the doctor, but my experience has brought me to the conclusion that my daughter must take at least one bath per week. As a 5-year-old, she was having very similar problems that you describe. She almost always showered. Then a mom told me she likes her daughters to take baths rather than showers because she feels a girl needs to "soak". When I started making sure my daughter took baths (sans bubble bath) at least once a week (and she showers the other days) we've eliminated the itching problem. Good luck!

My oldest daughter is very prone to this. It's called vulvovaginitis. I've found teh best thing is to treat it as an allergy and give her the appropriate amount of liquid Benadryl to drink. Also give her a refresher on wiping; after bath pat the area dry, and if necessary, set the blow dryer on cool and make sure she's completely dry. Sleeping without underwear is also good. Gives everything a chance to breathe. If a rash starts to develop, then apply A&D ointment to the outside vulva area. Never put anything inside. If you notice an odor, like a yeast infection, see your doctor. Good luck!

Even little girls can get yeast infections. Try giving her lots of yogurt and supplemental Lactobacillus and if that doesn't help, take her to the MD

Sounds like a yeast infection. Definetly take her to the pediatrician. Its possible she's allergic to something, maybe bubblebath or laundry detergent, but if there's no reddness or irritation then its not likely. Its an internal issue and yeast infections are pretty common.

Make sure she does not wash with soap, or at least no harsh or chemical soap. That stuff can bring her out of balance. Antibiotics may be another reason for a vaginal infection in children. Make sure you have her checked by a doctor. Also, diet can be a huge issue. Wheat and sugar are terrible for the human body and support crazy growth of bacteria!

She could have a yeast infection. She may be having too many things that are sugary or yeast-building. Sugar builds yeast quickly. Sometime popsicles, sweet drinks and what not help us to cool down during these hot months, but her body may produce yeast quicker. I was like that from early on and has to use vaginal anti-itch creams and powders. Check with your pediatrician though. Sometimes running around in a wet bathing suit will cause the same itchiness. All summertime activities. Good luck!

mine has had similar problems. she doesn't shower anymore. we give her baths. just let her sit/play in the bath (with no bubble bath) for about 15 minutes. washing with a washcloth and NO soap helps too. it takes a while for them to learn how to wipe properly. i still wipe my daughter when she's at home. i know. yuck. and it never hurts to take her to the doc. good luck.

yes my daughter has these promblems as well -now she is 10 yr. it is a yeast infection these are common in boys n girls. i would take her to the dr and ask if there is anything they can give her-they do have cream meds too help this. good luck too you. a mom to another mom

I was reading these posts since my 4 yr. old grand daughter has had these issues chronically. Good advice from all. Since I was abused in my very young years I truly appreciated the Mom who said "I took my daughter in for a similar issue and only I touched her while doctor looked and only with her permission. Be sure the doctor is sensitive to her- at this age it can be traumatic".
Good job Mom!!

Sounds like a yeast infection. If she's been on an antibiotic recently, that's probably the culprit, OR if she washed her self down there with soap and didn't quite get it all rinsed off right away it could definitely upset her little ph balance.

Take her to the pediatrician and get it checked out. Getting her on pro-biotic yogurt could help a lot, or an acidophilus supplement.

HTH
T.

My daughter and I both experience vaginal itching if we don't use Ivory soap. It may be as simple as that or it could be a yeast infection. I know that if my daughter wears nylon underwear then she itches. Chewable probiotics from the health food store are great for so many things. I had a yeast infection that went on for several months and when I started to take probiotics and other medicine from the health food store it went away. They have the flushable wet wipes over the counter in the hygiene section now that are good. Maybe she is going potty and wiping forward.

Girls of any age can get yeast infections. My oldest daughter was only 2 when she got her first - yikes! Since I'm a desert dweller, I tend to get more yeast issues when we travel to humid climates (and I feel as if my clothes are wet all day!) You might have the dr. check out this possibility.

Try a PROBIOTIC to balance out the yeast in her body. We give our kids PB8, you can find it at Henry's and farm to Market. We give 1/2 capsule to 1 capsule each day when necessary. Mix it in food, or dump the contents of the capsule in their mouths. Dairy and sugar can be huge culprits in vaginitis. It's natural and safe....and instead of covering up the symptoms, it can take care of the problem by boosting her immune system and this is especially helpful if it's yeast. If that doesn't work within 2 weeks, then maybe try Herbs for Kids Echinacea/Goldenroot, also at Henry's.

Definitely have her checked for yeast infection. Then go over again with her the proper way to wipe. Make sure she uses mild soaps without perfume in them (like Ivory or Dove).