Help! My Toddler Constantly Has His Hand in His Diaper
"My toddler has a relatively new habit of sticking his hand in his diaper and often playing with his penis. I don't want to tell him not to touch but I do wish he'd do it less. One forum I read suggested it's a sign of autism, but I'm not sure how or why. Is this normal? And should I just ignore it?"
First, rule out any medical issues like a dermatological condition, fungal infection or other illness. Look for obvious outward symptoms such as pain, problems urinating, flaky skin in the area, redness, swelling, bleeding or skin discoloration that wasn't there before. If any of those symptoms are present then see your health care provider immediately. This alone could resolve the issue.
Barring any medical problems, however, I would say that this is completely normal behavior not to worry about. There could still be some underlying issues, though. Since you are sending me this in the summer, I'm wondering if you have noticed it since the weather started heating up?
Read more of this answer or leave a comment below to share your own experiences with this issue.
Comments
This is generally normal for boys, even girls. I would tell the boy not to do it. Not because touchy his penis is “bad” but because he shouldn’t get his hands dirty because of the urine in there. Have him wash his hands as he will probably then stick his hands in his mouth. Normal! No need to fret! Be more concerned about the sanitation of it all.
Urine is sterile!
I’ve seen lots of little boys (and, frankly, big “boys”
) do this, I think it’s totally normal. My toddler is recently potty trained, and the new sensation of NOT wearing diapers seems to have drawn his attention to his penis. I’ve had a few run-ins with my husband, because to me, it’s not a big deal and it’s totally age-appropriate (he’s 3 1/2). We haven’t had an issue in public yet, if we do, I will correct that behavior as a specific issue. I think making a big deal about it is more likely to create an issue than just ignoring it. We try to treat it as just another body part, like an elbow or nose.
The one issue I have had is one of my boys grabbing the other’s penis (I also have a 16-month old) in the tub; I’ve explained to my older boy that his penis is private, and that it’s ok for him to touch, but he shouldn’t touch anyone else’s. That did the trick, so far.
Being the Mother of a 3 year old boy, I to was concerned about my son putting his hand in his underwear and playing with his penis. But as time goes on, he is gradually doing it less and less. I believe it is a normal thing and time will take care of it.
My son is 2 1/2 and he has also discovered his butt and he also likes to pull on his penis and laugh. I think it is a stage all boys go thru and hopefully it will stop before adulthood.