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When my five-year-old complained that it hurt to pee, I immediately suspected a urinary tract infection and called the doctor. It turned out the reason she hurt ?down there? was because she wasn?t wiping properly and the unhygienic results were causing her a great deal of discomfort. I was mortified and ran out to buy bum wipes to help her clean up her act.
Most bottom troubles aren?t commonly discussed in parenting circles. There?s something about ?privates? that is, well, private. You don?t want other parents to think you aren?t taking care of your tot?s little tush ? and surrounding territory ? properly. Lose the guilt, says Michelle Ponti, a paediatrician in London, Ont. ?While improper hygiene can sometimes be a factor, it usually has nothing to do with a parent?s care of the child.? We asked Ponti and other health care experts for the bottom line on bottom troubles. 1. Anal fissures

If your child cries every time she has a bowel movement and you notice streaks of blood on her stools, there?s a good chance she has a small tear known as an anal fissure ? especially if her stools are hard. When children become constipated, they may strain to push the stool out and tear the skin around the anus. The tear, or fissure, can easily be seen when you examine your child?s behind.
What to do Fissures heal very well as soon as you treat the constipation, says Henry Ukpeh, an associate clinical professor of paediatrics at BC Children?s Hospital. Ask the d...