Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffYou can help your son by being aware of the development of his body and talking to him about it.
- Check the position of the testicles regularly during diaper changing or at bath time. Keep a record of changes.
- Give your son the vocabulary to talk about the scrotum and testicles. Explain that there are usually two testicles in the scrotum.
- When he's about to reach puberty — usually around sixth grade — and you're talking about what physical changes to expect, explain how he can check the testicles himself.
References
- Agarwal PK, et al. Retractile testis — Is it really a normal variant? Journal of Urology. 2006;175:1496.
- La Scala, et al. Retractile testes: an outcome analysis on 150 patients. Journal of Pediatric Surgery. 2004;39:1014.
- Cooper CS, et al. Urology. In: Doherty GM. Current Diagnosis and Treatment: Surgery. 13th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5312459. Accessed March 10, 2010.
- Stec AA, et al. Incidence of testicular ascent in boys with retractile testes. Journal of Urology. 2007;178:1722.
- Anatomic disorders. In: Rakel RE. Textbook of Family Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/188759382-2/966699837/1481/588.html?printi. Accessed March 11, 2010.
- Pettersson A, et al. Age at surgery for undescended testis and risk of testicular cancer. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356:1835.
- Charles JC. The fate of the retractile testicles. Journal of Urology. 2003;171:1237.
- Hack WW. Natural history and long-term testicular growth of acquired undescended testis after spontaneous descent or pubertal orchidopexy. BJU International. In Press. Accessed March 12, 2010.
- Sandlow JI, et al. Surgery of the scrotum and seminal vesicles. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/188759382-2/966699837/1445/37.html?printin. Accessed March 11, 2010.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 15, 2010.

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