SKL Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 My almost-7-year-old just had a riding lesson followed by a swimming lesson. Her nanny called me from the pool to say there is blood in dd's undies. She asked my dd about it and dd said she had been riding roughly or however you say that. Is this normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 I don't know if it is normal or not. I've heard of it being theoretically possible to break the hymen riding, but I've never personally known of riding to cause any bleeding. The most likely cause of bleeding would be severe chafing caused by poor clothing choice and/or poor technique. (Pants should be snug, form fitting, not bunching up, no or flat seams, etc.) If she was wearing "whatever" jeans/pants and/or in a group lesson where little attention was being paid to her specific riding technique, then I'd definitely guess chafing. If there is ANY chance she was harmed by a person, I'd get her to the pediatrician tomorrow for a checkup to be certain. (To check for internal signs of trauma which would be very different from the trauma that could be caused by chafing from riding -- which would be purely external). ((((hugs)))) If it's chafing (most likely for sure), then I'd apply thin coats of Vaseline until healed. And, I'd talk to the riding instructor (assuming she is female) for recommendation for better clothing AND to make sure she knows that she must pay close attention to dd's riding form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 She was wearing cotton undies, leggings, and (at her request) a shorts-skirt thing over the leggings. All soft cotton, but there probably could have been bunching. Miss A also wipes rather vigorously (dislikes the feeling of being wet) so I wonder if that is part of it. I doubt that there was opportunity for her to be hurt by someone during the riding lesson, but I will ask some open-ended questions just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 You'd have to ask one of the horse people around here to be sure, but I took riding lessons as a kid and I never had anything like that happen. :sad: If there's no obvious chafing injuries, I'd probably take her in to see her doctor, just to be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 She was wearing cotton undies, leggings, and (at her request) a shorts-skirt thing over the leggings. All soft cotton, but there probably could have been bunching. Those clothes seem, to me, rather soft for riding. You might want to look into woven, rather than knitted, trousers for riding. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 My dds ride in jeans and we've never had that happen. Did she say it was from riding?id really wonder how she would think to connect the two on her own, isn't she 6 or 7? I would take her to the doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Please don't forget that this could be early onset of her menstrual cycle. Have you seen any other evidence of early puberty? It sounds crazy but it's definitely possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 I have ridden my entire life and have been on horses in every type of clothing I had (many not really suitable for riding). I have had chaffing before, but never there and never enough for bleeding. That strikes me as really, really strange and would freak me out a little. I suppose that if there was already some sort of injury of some sort to the area, that riding could cause it to bleed easier than if it was just riding alone. *hugs* I would take her to a doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 One thing about my daughter, she has an incredibly high pain tolerance when she wants to. This is the kid who used to beg the doctor to give her a shot. (No kidding.) So, she might not have adjusted the way most people would upon feeling uncomfortable. Once before she had a tiny bit of blood in her underwear. I wish I could remember whether it was on a day when she was riding. I asked her a few questions and concluded it was nothing concerning. As far as foul play, her sister is right there with her and as far as I know, only the mom and daughter farm owners and maybe some kids were around. Plus there was only about 45 minutes from the time I dropped them off and the time the nanny arrived to pick them up (at which time they were on the horses). I will keep my ears open but I doubt that foul play was an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 With you you ride, though, there shouldn't be that much friction and pressure right there, if you know what I mean. I wouldn't expect to see chafing in that specific area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 I will definitely talk to the teachers about making sure she is sitting in the right position etc. As you can see, I have never had riding lessons nor been on horses much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 FWIW, I had some bleeding when I was a kid when I was riding a boy bike and landed on the bar. It's hard to imagine hitting a saddle that hard though, since the shape is different - is it a western saddle with a "handle"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 FWIW, I had some bleeding when I was a kid when I was riding a boy bike and landed on the bar. It's hard to imagine hitting a saddle that hard though, since the shape is different - is it a western saddle with a "handle"? It is English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 It doesn't sound like either you or the nanny have actually visually inspected the area? You need to see if there are any cuts, bruising, chafing, etc. and where it is. Just because there is blood in the panties does not mean that the blood came from the vaginal area but if there is no sign of abrasions on the outer skin, then the implications become that it could be early menarche or abuse. (And it can take very little time to abuse a child - esp. one with a high pain tolerance.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 My dd has ridden in many types of clothing for 4 years with no blood or anything from it. Is the saddle she is using a good fit for her? If she does not know how it is supposed to feel, then maybe it is too small? I hope you get this figured out. If nothing sticks out as the cause, then I would see her pedi just to make sure nothing is wrong in that area. Maybe she has some extra skin that gets rubbed the wrong way or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lara in Colo Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Sometimes when I have yeast issues and I do something that rubs that area, it will cause some light bleeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiguirre Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 You might also want to check for hemorrhoids. Just a (painful) thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 If the child has poor technique and poor clothing, then it could easily be chafing/abrasion in the vulva area, especially if she is learning to do "sitting trot". You have to learn to tip your pelvis properly to comfortably sit a trot, or, for that matter canter (which is generally easier to do, but still feasible to do incorrectly). Of course, a hard, poor landing in the saddle at any gait faster than a walk could also abrade/bruise that tender skin. If she has some chafing from overly vigorous drying, that can cause trouble too. One of my dd's had that issue of overly vigorously drying b/c she didn't like the "wet" feeling. She caused what looked like chapping in her entire vulva area. She was a bit younger, maybe 3 or 4, and it took a few months of me reminding her NOT to keep rubbing and drying, as well as a few times daily application of thin coats of Vaseline, to heal the area and break the habit. If she had chapping like this, then any extra trauma from riding could have caused a break in the skin, thus bleeding. Her high pain tolerance could have helped this to get severe w/o complaint. If I were you, I'd take a look after a bath, then I'd apply Vaseline (thin coat) and I'd also coach her NOT to rub/dry excessively. Teach her to pat gently, then supervise her. Keep your eye on her bathroom visits and reapply Vaseline regularly until she is healed. Kids get those crazy chapped lips b/c of this sort of habit. You have to help her break the habit. Assuming that is what is happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Get her some riding pants like these http://www.amazon.com/Perris-Childrens-Front-Zip-Patch-Jodhpur/dp/B002HPP2S6/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1380393981&sr=8-13&keywords=child+riding+pants If you have a local tack store where she can try them on, all the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSOchristie Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Piper had some bleeding down there recently, she had strep infection in that area and it caused the skin to be irritated to the point of breaking. She told me her lady bits hurt, and when I checked, it was bleeding very slightly on the inside. It didn't even look that red. Our ped said it was very common and antibiotics cleared it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 A bad photo from my nanny's iphone (showing her posture on the horse at the end of the lesson) Sorry, the photo is so big and this site will only allow 22kb, so this is as good as it gets . ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldberry Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 I had that from horseriding as a teenager, but I have an unusual situation where even as an adult the skin can tear very easily and is not elastic. Also, how much blood are we talking about? My situation causes a few drops at most. It is very clearly coming from this area outside and not inside. (And yes, if anyone is wondering it is indeed sometimes a bummer. :o And no, it did not go away after I birthed a child.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 I'd check the TP when she wipes and see if it could be a bad UTI. It has also happened to my kids (and me) after having food poisoning. The perian@l area has really delicate skin, so it may be more likely to be from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 Her seat doesn't look too bad to me, but it's hard to tell from that angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LND1218 Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 I'd check the TP when she wipes and see if it could be a bad UTI. It has also happened to my kids (and me) after having food poisoning. The perian@l area has really delicate skin, so it may be more likely to be from there. I would suspect a UTI too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 I rode competitively as a child. English. Hunter jumper. In proper clothes. I have a distinct memory of getting very excited at ten, thinking my period had started. My mom thought so too. It was after a tough lesson, and in retrospect I believe my hymen was broken. Not a big deal, not horribly painful, but a smear of blood. My actual period didn't start for a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 I don't think I ever had bleeding, but I remember riding as a child (even just on a pony) was very painful for me. I was very small and didn't have much cushion at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 28, 2013 Author Share Posted September 28, 2013 I don't think I ever had bleeding, but I remember riding as a child (even just on a pony) was very painful for me. I was very small and didn't have much cushion at all. Miss A is a skinny thing. She can comfortably wear size 3 shorts. Her undies are size 2-3 and some of them have been taken in at the waist. So that could be part of it - no natural padding. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted September 28, 2013 Share Posted September 28, 2013 it also looks like she's leaning forward, which could cause a lot of pressure right on the delicate tissues down there. It may have caused a little tear. Poor thing, I still remember how painful sitting like that was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 How much blood? Was it a drop or 2 or a lot of blood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 From the photo it is a little hard to tell but it seems she may be leaning forward. Like Stephanie said, you can get sore by riding on your private parts rather than your "seat bones" (your buttocks). Skin on a little girl is tender and thin. I suppose there could be chafing. I agree with Jean; you need to inspect it visually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 29, 2013 Author Share Posted September 29, 2013 She was out most of the day yesterday, but I finally got to examine the evidence. It was just a little blood, but it was also in her clean underwear that she put on after swimming as well. The area is still quite tender but she is proceeding with normal activities. She says she's afraid to pee because it hurts. :( She doesn't want me to put anything on it. I'm sure healing will be quick as it always is with her. I will be contacting the riding instructors to make sure they coach her on how to avoid this. Thanks for everyone's advice and experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 I'd want to take a sample to the Dr to check for a UTI. My DD has frequent UTIs and never has a fever with them and always seems perfectly fine other than sometimes complaining of a weird or painful feeling. If you're lucky, the Dr will just let you pick up and drop off a cup without an exam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anotherbrother Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 If she says that it's painful to urinate that would be the first sign of a UTI. If you've also seen blood I'd head to the doctor today. They are very uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 Doctor, IMHO. Vaseline shouldn't be optional. The doctor needs to check for UTI and/or injury, so the DR can prescribe any Vaseline or whatever, then you won't have to debate the point. You don't want her withholding urination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 I would get her to the doctor. UTIs can be very serious if not treated, so you would want to get that ruled out. But I would also very much want a doctor to check to see what is causing the bleeding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 I'd go to the doc to rule out an infection, too. Especially if she has been swimming a lot. I swear, I pick up some kind of infection every time I take my dd to the pool. And if she does have some kind of chafing injury, you might want to hold off on the swimming until it heals. I can't imagine the chlorine would feel too good on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted September 29, 2013 Author Share Posted September 29, 2013 I contacted the teacher and she said they have some "tush cushions" they can use to help with this. Who knew the perils of having a skinny butt? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula in MS Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 From the photo it is a little hard to tell but it seems she may be leaning forward. Like Stephanie said, you can get sore by riding on your private parts rather than your "seat bones" (your buttocks). Skin on a little girl is tender and thin. I suppose there could be chafing. I agree with Jean; you need to inspect it visually. I agree with this completely. My daughter rides, so I questioned her about it. She said that she does not seem to be sitting properly in the picture, although her posture could have been different when she was actively riding. She said that when you are sitting properly, your private parts do not make contact with the saddle. She is also wondering if she may be sitting too far up on the saddle and is bumping things with the pommel which is curved upward. I think the cushion may just mask the problem if the goal is for her to learn to ride properly. Whatever happened, I hope you figure it out. It sounds so painful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 Skimming because I don't ride horses. When you wrote that it hurts to urinate, a UTI was my first thought. One of my teenage daughters was going to gymnastics and actually ended up with an internal abscess. The doctor missed it during the exam and dd insisted that the doc look again. She found it the second time. Of course, we were questioned about abuse and because of her age, sexual activity. That part wasn't fun. I'm glad we went as the abscess much larger than I had imagined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PollyOR Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 I would get her to the doctor. UTIs can be very serious if not treated, so you would want to get that ruled out. But I would also very much want a doctor to check to see what is causing the bleeding. I had UTIs at her age and urinated blood. It was very painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 I had UTIs at her age and urinated blood. It was very painful. It's not as common, but it's possible to feel no pain and still have an infection that's progressed to the point of urinating blood. I'd take her in for testing to rule out a UTI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mena Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 I rode competitively as a child. English. Hunter jumper. In proper clothes. I have a distinct memory of getting very excited at ten, thinking my period had started. My mom thought so too. It was after a tough lesson, and in retrospect I believe my hymen was broken. Not a big deal, not horribly painful, but a smear of blood. My actual period didn't start for a few years. I had a similar experience, so this was my first thought. I would still have her see a doctor, just to rule out a UTI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted September 29, 2013 Share Posted September 29, 2013 FWIW, I had some bleeding when I was a kid when I was riding a boy bike and landed on the bar. It's hard to imagine hitting a saddle that hard though, since the shape is different - is it a western saddle with a "handle"? Oww! I did that once. talk about painful. I didn't have any bleeding though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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