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| Main > Symptom Guide > Vaginal Bleeding
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Vaginal Bleeding
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Vaginal bleeding in children usually occurs as a part of menarche or having their first period as they are going through puberty. Other common causes, especially in young girls who haven't gone through puberty yet, include vaginitis (vaginal irritation), trauma, abuse, a foreign body, tumors, and urethral prolapse. Children with vaginal bleeding that is not associated with normal puberty should have a thorough evaluation by their Pediatrician and/or a Pediatric Gynecologist and perhaps an Endocrinologist if a hormonal cause is suspected. Abuse should be suspected if there is unexplained trauma and/or bruising associated with the bleeding.
- Vulvovaginitis: Young girls sometimes complain of burning or pain when they urinate (dysuria), and although this can sometimes be a sign of a urinary tract infection, it is more commonly caused by irritation of the skin in and around the vaginal area (vulvovaginitis) or at the opening of the urethra (urethritis). This irritation can also cause bleeding, vaginal itching and frequent urination (frequency). Before puberty, the skin around the vaginal area can be very sensitive, and it can easily become red and inflamed when it comes in contact with common irritants, such as soap or shampoo. Bubble baths are also a common irritant that can cause itching in the vaginal area. Another cause of vulvovaginitis is poor toilet hygiene, which is usually secondary to not wiping or wiping incorrectly after urinating.
- Pinworms: small (1/4 -1/2 inch long), white worms that look like small pieces of thread that cause itching around the anus (without a rash), especially at night. It can also sometimes cause vaginal itching, which if severe enough, can lead to bleeding.
- Foreign body: sometimes a foreign body, such as a piece of toilet paper, can be trapped in the vagina, causing bleeding, discharge, pain or itching.
- Newborn estrogen withdrawal: Newborns can sometimes have bleeding in their first week of life as an effect of the withdrawal of estrogen stimulation from her mother.
- Trauma: such as falling and having a stradle injury.
- Precocious Puberty: in addition to vaginal bleeding, children with early or precocious puberty often have other signs of early puberty, such as pubic hair and breast development.
- Precocious Menarche: cyclic vaginal bleeding without any signs of puberty.
- Bleeding Disorder: a blood disorder may cause vaginal bleeding, but you would likely suspect other signs of bleeding, such as frequent nosebleeds or bleeding gums, and easy bruising.
- Other cause of vaginal bleeding can include hemangiomas, hypothyroidism, lichen sclerosis, urethral proplapse, condyloma accuminata, and tumors.
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