Why checking your son’s testicles could determine your future as a grandparent

You are however bound to miss out on crucial parenting information such as information about undescended testicles.

As a baby boy grows inside the mother’s womb, the testicles form inside his abdomen then drop down to the scrotum. However, sometimes they fail to drop hence causing cryptorchidism.

Undescended testicles (cryptorchidism) are testicles that have not dropped to their right position which is in the scrotum. The reason why it is important for the testicles to drop is because the temperature in the scrotum is much cooler than it is inside the body.  A cooler temperature helps the testicle make sperm. This in other words mean if the testicles do not drop, the baby may become infertile when it becomes a man.

Normally, testicles should drop naturally by the time the child gets to six months. If by this age they haven’t dropped, you should seek a pediatric specialist’s attention. If noted early enough, the condition can be treated by surgically repositioning them (testicles) into the bag (scrotum).

The doctor should be able feel the scrotum for testicles during the post-natal care clinics but since they are human, they may forget. It is therefore important for parents to check their sons regularly to be on the safe side.

Parents are also advised to tell their teenage sons to self-examine themselves from time to time and in case there are lumps.

Apart from infertility, undescended testicles could cause testicular cancer and trauma.