title: Urogenital symptoms in premenarchal girls: parents' and girls' perceptions and associations with irritants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Premenarchal girls commonly seek care for urogenital symptoms, yet little is published about parents' and girls' perceived causes of symptoms or associations with irritant exposures. We sought to describe urogenital symptoms, perceived causes, and associations between symptoms and genital irritant exposures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study. Parents/girls interviewed; medical records reviewed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five- to 12-year-old well, premenarchal girls and their parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  One urban and 1 suburban pediatric practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of histories of urogenital symptoms and perceived causes; association between symptoms and exposure to genital irritants in a well population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 191 parent/girl dyads, 33% of parents and 48% of girls reported girls' histories of urogenital symptoms not attributed to urinary tract infections or trauma. Perceived causes: poor hygiene (29% of parents vs 14% of girls); soap products (20% of parents and girls); none identified (24% of parents vs 53% of girls). Analysis of symptoms versus irritant exposures demonstrated these associations: dysuria and genital soreness with poor genital hygiene, tight garments, or exposure to soap products; genital pruritus with poor hygiene (all P < .05). No symptoms were associated with nylon underwear, tights, or bike or horseback riding. Vaginal discharge was not associated with any irritants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Almost half the girls had histories of urogenital symptoms. Poor hygiene and soap exposure were perceived causes of most symptoms. When no cause for urogenital symptoms is identified, treatment should be focused on hygiene, soap exposure, and tight-fitting clothes, not on bike or horseback riding or wearing nylon underwear or tights. Vaginal discharge warrants further evaluation.
authors: Albert Einstein Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA. delagoc@einstein.edu
authors: Cynthia
authors: C
authors: Delago
authors: Martin A
authors: MA
authors: Finkel
authors: Esther
authors: E
authors: Deblinger
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003020:Clothing; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007509:Irritants; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012915:Soaps; D014848:Vulvovaginitis / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D007509:Irritants; D012915:Soaps