Q: My son is 9 months old and his genitals don't apper to be normal. Our doctor said that he is having hypospadias and needs to be operated. His foreskin is not developed under the penis and is attached with the scrotum. So the penis is not coming out even if it is stretched. Is it really hypospadias or is it only a skin problem? How can we know this? Kindly advise us as to what we need to do? What kind of a defect is it? We are from Tamil Nadu so can you suggest any good experienced doctor who can do this kind of reconstruction surgery?

A:From your description it seems very much like hypospadias. This will require an operation for correction. Sometimes it may need to be corrected in stages, but that will depend on the severity of the problem. You may consult a paediatric surgeon at the Institute of Child Health, Egmore, Chennai.