Vulvovaginitis in girls and pre-teens

The vulvovaginitis is the main reason for pediatric consultation in girls and adolescents. It is an inflammation of the female genital tract that develops with different symptoms such as discharge, itching, difficulty urinating, fever, redness and swelling. Girls between 9 and 11 are the most likely

The vulvovaginitis is the main reason for pediatric consultation in girls and adolescents. It is an inflammation of the female genital tract that develops with different symptoms such as discharge, itching, difficulty urinating, fever, redness and swelling. Girls between 9 and 11 are the most likely to suffer from it, due to their anatomical and physiological conditions, their hygiene habits and their contact with the floor when playing.

Causes of vulvovaginitis in girls

Anatomy:Pre-adolescence presents thinner vaginal walls, less developed lips and absence of hair, which facilitates the arrival of bacteria.

Hygiene: After using the bathroom, the child may be cleaning the skin from the rectum to the vagina, which causes the excrement to be dragged to the vulva, which contaminates it. In addition, in this maneuver, pieces of toilet paper can be detached and lodged inside the vagina of the girl, which is considered a foreign body that also produces these clinical pictures.

Games on the floor: When playing on the floor your girl may have the bad habit of doing it with her legs backwards, the major and minor lips are separated leaving the vagina of the girl very exposed, only protected by her underwear .

Moisture: to hold on to the urge to urinate allows some drops to wet your panties, in this way bacteria can proliferate, producing secretion.

Irritants: Hygiene products for the intimate area may contain perfumes that irritate, be of poor quality and talcum powder should not be used to dry this area. Laundry products can also cause irritation.

Inadequate intimate clothing: Nylon and synthetic garments keep moisture for longer, for this reason it is recommended that girls always wear cotton clothes.

Friction: very tight pants cause friction. When bathing, rubbing or rubbing can irritate your skin. Masturbation is also one of the causes, as well as sexual abuse.

Chronic constipation and obesity: are also among the causes of this infection. Girls who present this picture should be reviewed by a pediatrician who defines the behavior or management of the situation.

Prevention of vulvovaginitis in girls

As for hygiene, the girl must learn how to wash her intimate part without rubbing it, with a natural non-irritating soap, to prevent other bath products from falling into her intimate area and not to take baths. foam. You should decrease the time when bathing. The shower should be given with running water, without adding baths or infusions. In the toilet, when urinating, you must do it with your legs open and you must empty your bladder completely to avoid dribbling, the girl must learn to always clean from front to back.

Intimate clothing should be 100 percent cotton and white. When it has contact with sand or earth, it should be washed immediately. If you go to the pool or the sea you should take off the wet bathing suit and change it for dry clothes. The toilet paper of the house should be of excellent quality or cleaned first with damp cloths and finished with paper with light strokes to leave the area dry. The detergent used to wash children's clothes should be soft.