A friend forwarded me a letter from her son’s school. Worth posting as very relevant information to be discussed over a meal if you can bear it, with your boys…..
Dear Parents,
This week we have had an assembly on men’s health, inspired by Movember, where we try to raise awareness of male cancers, particularly prostate cancer. Your sons are, thank goodness, long removed from this condition but it would be timely to look at other ‘male-only’ conditions. After all, the goal of Movember is to ‘change the face of men’s health.’ Discussing, let alone examining, one’s ‘lower regions’ can be embarrassing for anyone, of any age, but there are some important points to make.
Boys from puberty onwards should examine their testicles regularly – ideally this should be done once a month. It is best to do this after a hot shower or bath, when the skin of the scrotum is looser. And probably best whilst standing. Start with each testicle separately, feeling generally for lumps, and then compare with the other side to see whether one is larger than the other. By doing this each month, your sons will become familiar with what is normal for them. If any lump is felt, or there is tenderness, or a difference in size is noticed, then it is best to see a doctor.
Anybody over the age of six years with a foreskin should, and indeed must, be able to retract this easily for hygiene. A cheesy, white deposit (known as smegma) will accumulate under the foreskin and can lead to health problems. The foreskin – for those who possess one – should be gently pulled back and the head of the penis washed with warm water. The foreskin should then be returned to its normal position. If the foreskin is tight then a doctor can advise. In boys who have not yet gone through puberty there is a special cream that can be prescribed – in most cases this will avoid the need for a circumcision.
Swellings in the groin but outside the scrotum might be a hernia or perhaps a lymph node. These should always be checked by a doctor. A rash in the creases of the groin which has an irregular edge often suggests a common fungal infection. Fungi love damp, moist areas so this is common in boys who play a lot of sports and in hot weather too, due to increased sweating. It can be easily treated.
As with all concerns and worries, these are best aired than fretted over. Dads might wish to talk through the above with their sons. All boys should have a medical examination when they join a school, but obviously that is not always the case. Therefore, the more we talk about it, the more relaxed your sons will be. And fathers – like their sons – should be vigilant and ‘aware’ at all times!
