My four year old is lying in bed at the moment howling out that his penis is annoying him. This has happened a few times before. His specific complaint is 'I keep on needing to push my penis down." He has just this minute yelled out 'You sh*tty penis" and "take it off me, I don't want it any more". !!! The first time it happened DH and I were in silent hysterics. Is this some kind of 4 year old testosterone surge? I don't know what to suggest - I just keep telling him to go to sleep and it won't bother him any more. Anyone else had this issue?! It is obviously bothering him because he would normally be asleep by now.

ETA that he is NOT in pain. I have asked him several times if it hurts or if it is itchy and he always replies that no, it is just annoying him!

My brother got a terrible infection around that aged and had to be circumcised. I would get it check out just to be sure.

I would also get it checked out just to make sure it isn't something like a tight foreskin that is hurting when he is getting an erection.

As for quick fix, offer an ice pack or a wet washer, something tangible so it looks like you are doing something to help.

Lisa

DS who is 3.5 plays with his penis from time to time and occasionally gets an erection.

It's upsetting him. He's probably playing with it because it feels nice. Use distraction. Go in there and read a book... Or give him a shower, put some music on.

Sorry, I know you weren't laughing at him to be cruel but I find it upsetting. He's upset as you are whensomething happens you don't understand. He's scared and you are outside laughing at hjm

My DS have never had that problem. He wakes up & will have his hands down his pants & will say its big, but he never complains about it hurting. I think I would get it checked out

as pp said i would take him to the gp to get checked out he could have an infection that would be causing him pain etc
maya

the poor thing. im not really sure but i can remember my older brother teasing my younger brother at about 6 or 7 for having a 'stiffy' when he had no control over it and often wasnt even aware of it

all of the above but my son needed a steroid treatment as his foreskin was tight and hurting

I should have said that I did actually check him the first time it happened - I asked him to pull back the skin which he did a little bit, and it didn't seem to be inflamed to me. Nor was it particularly erect.
He is also not in pain - I have asked him several times if it hurts and he says 'no' and also if it hurts to wee and he also says 'no'. It is just 'annoying him'.
The cool face washer is not a bad idea.
ETA that about 12 months ago I took him to the GP for a suspected UTI and she asked if I could pull the foreskin back.....I never had done it before, but did it then, and it fully retracted without any discomfort so I don't think tight foreskin is a problem.
Perhaps a GP visit is in order just to be sure.

I would take him to the doctor. Erections are completely normal but it shouldn't hurt.

Have you ever spoken to him about his penis "getting big" or is this the only time it has come up? With my boys they would initially be a bit worried that it was big, and I would just gently say that it just happens, and it will go back down again and that it was quite normal. That seemed to calm them down, but I probably had to say it on a few occasions. I would try talking to him, because it wouldn't be a good thing for him if he thinks there is something wrong with it, he needs to accept it does happen.

If he says it isn't hurting and there is no obvious inflammation or problems peeing then he is probably distracted by his erections.
It can be a frightening experience if they do not understand why the penis is growing and why he suddenly feels some pleasure.
Perhaps he just needs reassurance that what he is feeling is normal and that if he stops touching it it will get small again.
Sounds a bit like my DS ---good luck

My DS1 loves getting an erection showing off his 'big willy'. He does it a lot in the bath but I leave him to it as I would rather he plays with it and pulls back his own foreskin in it's own time than me force it back. It is starting to go back but I really know what to do (DH is teaching him about penis maintenance)

DS2 often will tell me poo poo when he has one (generally upon waking up) and he is a bit more distressed by it because he can't do his normal puppetry of the penis show (even I cross my legs with some of the things he does to it).

Maybe take him to the GP to make sure it's not a medical issue.

PS If one of my kids was screaming at their 'sh**ty willy', I too would be in silent hysterics. Classic.