[blparent] [Bulk] Re: [Bulk] bathing an infant

[Deborah Kent Stein]

Hi, Tammy,

Okay.  Point well made.  However, we must respect each other's choices, 
whether or not we agree with them.

Debbie


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tammy, Paul and Colyn" <tcl189 at rogers.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 9:39 AM
Subject: Re: [blparent] [Bulk] Re: [Bulk] bathing an infant


> Hi,
>
> Sorry Debra but I disagree with you on this point.  Whether to circumsize 
> or not is most definitely a blindness issue because cleaning and care of 
> the penis differs when uncirced and blind.  A sighted person can just 
> point and show, where a parent who is blind and showing their child has to 
> be hands on, which may cause some problems for them, their child, or 
> others.  This whole thread started because we were talking about cleaning 
> genetles and people calling social services because they thought we were 
> touching our kids too much.  It's important that we are allowed to talk 
> about this issue because new blind parents need to know the risks and 
> benefits of having their child circumsized or not from a blindness 
> perspective.
>
> Tammy
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Deborah Kent Stein" <dkent5817 at worldnet.att.net>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 8:17 PM
> Subject: [Bulk] Re: [blparent] [Bulk] bathing an infant
>
>
>>
>>
>> I realize that circumcision is an important choice parents of boys have 
>> to make, but this is not a blindness issue.  Please let's move on.
>>
>> Debbie
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Amber Boggs" <amberboggs at socal.rr.com>
>> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 3:06 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] [Bulk] bathing an infant
>>
>>
>>> Alizabith, Not to be rude, but do you have an intact boy? Were you 
>>> around the mother every second of the day to no what and how she was 
>>> doing  with her kid? Have you red books articles etc from well known and 
>>> respected PEDS and doctors on Circomsition? Have you visited nocirc.org 
>>> and red the articles on The care of an intact boy? If no to any of these 
>>> questions, then I would be happy to pass on some information t oyou. I 
>>> have no problems debaiting to circ or not to, and feel very strongly 
>>> about keeping a boy intact, but to sit and see someone giving advice and 
>>> telling people what will and can happen when they do not have one all 
>>> the facts, and two have a circed boy and are only going on second hand 
>>> experience, it makes me crazy. Here is just one of many many articles 
>>> and well resurched advice about an intact baby and man.
>>> Note this Part. "Thanks to the foreskin, the intact penis is protected 
>>> from dirt
>>> and contamination.
>>> While this important protective function is extremely useful while the 
>>> baby is in
>>> diapers, the foreskin provides protection to the glans and urinary 
>>> opening for a
>>> lifetime. At all ages, the foreskin keeps the glans safe, soft, and 
>>> clean.
>>> Throughout childhood, there is no need to wash underneath the foreskin. 
>>> Mothers used
>>> to be advised to retract the foreskin and wash beneath it every day. 
>>> This was very
>>> bad advice indeed. When the foreskin becomes fully retractable, usually 
>>> by the end
>>> of puberty, your son can retract it and rinse his glans with warm water 
>>> while he
>>> is in the shower."
>>> Protect Your Uncircumcised Son: Expert Medical Advice for Parents
>>> By Paul M. Fleiss
>>> Mothering Magazine, Issue 103, November/December 103
>>> Increasing numbers of American parents today are protecting their sons 
>>> from routine
>>> circumcision at birth, but as their boys grow up, they often find 
>>> themselves at odds
>>> with doctors who cling to old-fashioned opinions and hospital routines.
>>> I often receive calls from distraught parents who say that a doctor 
>>> insists that
>>> their little boy needs to be circumcised because there is something 
>>> wrong. When they
>>> bring their son into my office, I almost always find that there's 
>>> nothing wrong with
>>> the child's penis. Occasionally there's a slight infection, but that can 
>>> be quickly
>>> cleared up with an antibiotic cream. In all my years of practice, I've 
>>> never had
>>> a patient who had to be circumcised for medical reasons.
>>> When a doctor advises that your son be circumcised, it's usually because 
>>> he or she
>>> is unfamiliar with the intact penis, misinformed about the true 
>>> indications for surgical
>>> amputation of the foreskin, unaware of the functions of the foreskin, 
>>> and uncomfortable
>>> with the movement away from routine circumcision.
>>> Doctors can be psychologically challenged by the sight of an intact boy. 
>>> They may
>>> see problems with the penis that do not really exist. They may try to 
>>> convince you
>>> that the natural penis is somehow difficult to care for. They may cite 
>>> "studies"
>>> and "statistics" that appear to support circumcision.
>>> Probably, the only problem you will encounter with the foreskin of your 
>>> intact boy
>>> is that someone will think that he has a problem. The foreskin is a 
>>> perfectly normal
>>> part of the human body, and it has very definite purposes, as do all 
>>> body parts,
>>> even if we do not readily recognize them. There's no need to worry about 
>>> your son's
>>> intact penis.
>>> What to Say When the Doctor Says to Cut
>>> Below is a list of some of the things that doctors have said to parents 
>>> in an attempt
>>> to convince them to agree to circumcision. After each incorrect 
>>> statement, I've given
>>> the medical facts to help you understand what your doctor may not know 
>>> about the
>>> intact penis and its care, and what you need to know to protect your 
>>> child from unnecessary
>>> penile surgery. If you ever find yourself in a situation where a doctor 
>>> suggests
>>> that your child should be circumcised, the best thing that you can say 
>>> is simply:
>>> "Leave it alone."
>>> -Your son's foreskin should be cut off in order to facilitate hygiene.
>>> My experience as a pediatrician has convinced me that circumcision makes 
>>> the penis
>>> dirtier, a fact that was confirmed by a study recently published in the 
>>> British Journal
>>> of Urology.1 For at least a week after circumcision, the baby is left 
>>> with a large
>>> open wound that is in almost constant contact with urine and 
>>> feces--hardly a hygienic
>>> advantage. Additionally, throughout life the circumcised penis is open 
>>> and exposed
>>> to dirt and contaminants of all kinds. The wrinkles and folds that often 
>>> form around
>>> the circumcision scar frequently harbor dirt and germs.
>>> Thanks to the foreskin, the intact penis is protected from dirt and 
>>> contamination.
>>> While this important protective function is extremely useful while the 
>>> baby is in
>>> diapers, the foreskin provides protection to the glans and urinary 
>>> opening for a
>>> lifetime. At all ages, the foreskin keeps the glans safe, soft, and 
>>> clean.
>>> Throughout childhood, there is no need to wash underneath the foreskin. 
>>> Mothers used
>>> to be advised to retract the foreskin and wash beneath it every day. 
>>> This was very
>>> bad advice indeed. When the foreskin becomes fully retractable, usually 
>>> by the end
>>> of puberty, your son can retract it and rinse his glans with warm water 
>>> while he
>>> is in the shower.
>>> -Your son's foreskin is too tight. It doesn't retract. He needs to be 
>>> circumcised.
>>> The tightness of the foreskin is a safety mechanism that protects the 
>>> glans and urethra
>>> from direct exposure to contaminants and germs. The tight foreskin also 
>>> keeps the
>>> boy's glans warm, clean, and moist, and when he is an adult, it will 
>>> give him pleasure.
>>> As long as your son can urinate, he is perfectly normal. There is no age 
>>> by which
>>> a child's foreskin must be retractable. Do not let your doctor or anyone 
>>> try to retract
>>> your child's foreskin. Optimal hygiene of the penis demands that the 
>>> foreskin of
>>> infants and children be left alone. Premature retraction rips the skin 
>>> of the penis
>>> open and causes your child extreme pain. There is no legitimate medical 
>>> justification
>>> for retraction. The child's discomfort is proof of that.
>>> -Your son's foreskin is "adhered" to the glans. It must be amputated.
>>> The attachment of the foreskin and glans is nature's way of protecting 
>>> the undeveloped
>>> glans from premature exposure. Detachment is a normal physiological 
>>> process that
>>> can take up to two decades to complete. By the end of puberty, the 
>>> foreskin will
>>> have detached from the glans because hormones that are produced in great 
>>> quantities
>>> at puberty help with the process. There is no age by which a child's 
>>> foreskin must
>>> be fully separated from the glans.
>>> Some misguided doctors might suggest that the "adhesions" between the 
>>> foreskin and
>>> glans should be broken so that your son can retract his foreskin. This 
>>> procedure
>>> is called synechotomy. To perform it, the doctor pushes a blunt metal 
>>> probe under
>>> the foreskin and forcibly rips it from the glans. It's as painful and 
>>> traumatic as
>>> having a metal probe stuck under your fingernail to pull if off. It will 
>>> also cause
>>> bleeding and may result in infection and scarring of the inner lining of 
>>> the foreskin
>>> and the glans. The wounds that are created by this forced separation can 
>>> fuse together,
>>> causing true adhesions. There is no medical justification for this 
>>> procedure because
>>> the foreskin is not supposed to be separated from the glans in 
>>> childhood. If any
>>> doctor suggests this procedure for your son, firmly refuse, stating, 
>>> "Leave it alone!"
>>> -Your son's foreskin is getting tighter. It no longer retracts. 
>>> Something is wrong.
>>> He will have to be circumcised.
>>> Sometimes, in childhood, a previously retractable foreskin will become 
>>> resistant
>>> to retraction for reasons that are unrelated to impending puberty. In 
>>> these cases,
>>> the opening of the foreskin may look chapped and sting when your son 
>>> urinates. This
>>> is not an indication for surgery any more than chapped lips. This is 
>>> just the foreskin
>>> doing its job. If the foreskin were not there, the glans and urinary 
>>> opening would
>>> be chapped instead. Chapping is most often caused by ov erly chlorinated 
>>> swimming
>>> pools, harsh soap, bubble baths, or a diet that is too high in sugar, 
>>> all of which
>>> destroy the natural balance of skin bacteria and should be avoided if 
>>> chapping occurs.
>>> The foreskin becomes resistant to retraction until a natural and healthy 
>>> bacterial
>>> balance is reestablished.
>>> You can aid healing by having your son apply a little barrier cream or 
>>> some ointment
>>> to the opening of the foreskin. Acidophilus culture (which can be 
>>> purchased from
>>> a health food store) can be taken internally and also applied to the 
>>> foreskin several
>>> times a day to assist healing, and should be given any time a child is 
>>> taking antibiotics.
>>> -Your son's foreskin is red, inflamed, itching, and uncomfortable. It 
>>> has an infection
>>> and needs to be cut off.
>>> Sometimes the tip of the foreskin does become reddened. During the 
>>> diaper-wearing
>>> years, this is usually ammoniacal dermatitis, commonly known as diaper 
>>> rash. When
>>> normal skin bacteria and feces react with urine, they produce ammonia, 
>>> which burns
>>> the skin and causes inflammation and discomfort. If the foreskin were 
>>> amputated,
>>> the inflammation would be on the glans itself and could enter the 
>>> urethra. When the
>>> foreskin becomes reddened, it is doing its job of protecting the glans 
>>> and urinary
>>> meatus.
>>> Circumcision will have no effect on diaper rash. Change your baby's 
>>> diapers more
>>> frequently and use a barrier cream until the rash clears. Harsh bath 
>>> soaps can also
>>> cause inflammation of the foreskin. Use only the gentlest and purest of 
>>> soap on your
>>> child's tender skin. Resist the temptation to give your child bubble 
>>> baths, because
>>> these are harmful to the skin. Never use soap to wash the inner foreskin 
>>> because
>>> it is mucous membrane, just like the inner lining of the eyelid.
>>> Foreskin infections are extremely rare, but if they occur, one of the 
>>> many simple
>>> treatment options is antibiotic ointment along with bacterial 
>>> replacement therapy
>>> (Acidophilus culture). We don't amputate body parts because of an 
>>> infection. Most
>>> infections of the foreskin are actually caused by washing the foreskin 
>>> with soap.
>>> Leave the foreskin alone, remembering that it doesn't need any special 
>>> washing, and
>>> infections will be unlikely to occur.
>>> -Your son is always pulling on his foreskin. He should be circumcised.
>>> I can assure you that, whether circumcised or not, all little boys touch 
>>> and pull
>>> on their penis. It is perfectly normal. Intact boys pull on the foreskin 
>>> because
>>> it is there to pull on. Circumcised boys pull on the glans because that 
>>> is all they
>>> have to pull on. Little boys sometimes will adjust the position of their 
>>> penis in
>>> their underpants. They will also sometimes explore the interior of the 
>>> foreskin with
>>> their fingers--a perfectly normal curiosity and nothing to worry about. 
>>> It is important
>>> for parents to cultivate an enlightened and tender congeniality about 
>>> such matters,
>>> otherwise they risk transferring unhealthy attitudes to their children.
>>> Sometimes a boy will pull on his foreskin because it itches. All parts 
>>> of the body
>>> itch occasionally. Even a circumcised boy has to scratch his penis. Just 
>>> as you don't
>>> worry every time your child scratches his knee, so you should not worry 
>>> when he scratches
>>> his penis. If the itch is caused by dry skin, then have your son avoid 
>>> using soap
>>> on his penis. Treat the foreskin just as you would any other part of the 
>>> body.
>>> If the real fear is of masturbation, calmly remind yourself of the 
>>> simple, natural
>>> fact that all children will explore their bodies, including their 
>>> genitals. Touching
>>> their genitals gives children a pleasant feeling and relaxes them. 
>>> Classic anatomical
>>> studies demonstrate that the foreskin is the most pleasurably sensitive 
>>> part of the
>>> penis. You can congratulate yourself for having protected your child 
>>> from a surgical
>>> amputation that would have permanently denied him normal sensations.
>>> -Your son's foreskin is too long. It should be cut off.
>>> There is tremendous variation in foreskin length. In some boys, the 
>>> foreskin represents
>>> over half the length of the penis. In others, it barely reaches the end 
>>> of the glans.
>>> All variations are normal. The foreskin is never "just extra skin" or 
>>> "redundant."
>>> It is all there for a reason.
>>> -Your child should be circumcised now because it will hurt more if it 
>>> has to be done
>>> later, or worse, when he is an adult.
>>> This excuse is tragically wrong and has resulted in a very serious 
>>> crisis in American
>>> medical practice. It's based on the false idea that infants and young 
>>> children don't
>>> feel pain. Babies can see, hear, taste, smell, and feel. In fact, babies 
>>> feel pain
>>> more acutely than adults, and the younger the baby, the more acutely the 
>>> pain is
>>> felt. If an adult needed to be circumcised, he would be given anesthesia 
>>> and postoperative
>>> pain relief. Doctors almost never give babies either of these. The only 
>>> reason doctors
>>> get away with circumcising babies without anesthesia is because the baby 
>>> is defenseless
>>> and cannot protect himself. His screams of pain, terror, and agony are 
>>> ignored. In
>>> any event, this all too common excuse is merely a scare tactic, one with 
>>> tragic consequences
>>> for any baby forced to endure a surgical amputation without the benefit 
>>> of anesthesia.
>>> -Since your son is having anesthesia for another operation, we'll just 
>>> go ahead and
>>> circumcise him.
>>> Most parents are never told that their son is in danger of being 
>>> circumcised during
>>> a tonsillectomy or surgery for a hernia or an undescended testicle. It 
>>> would never
>>> occur to them. If your child is going into the hospital for any reason, 
>>> be certain
>>> that you tell the physician, surgeon, and nurse that under no 
>>> circumstances is your
>>> child to be circumcised. Write "No Circumcision" on the consent form, 
>>> too. Then if
>>> your child is circumcised against your wishes, remember that you do have 
>>> legal recourse.
>>> -Your son has cysts under his foreskin. He needs to be circumcised.
>>> During the period when the foreskin is undergoing the slow process of 
>>> detaching itself
>>> from the glans, sloughed skin cells (smegma) may collect into small 
>>> pockets of white
>>> "pearls." These are not cysts. Some doctors mistakenly think that the 
>>> smegma under
>>> the foreskin is an infection, even though it is white rather than red, 
>>> is cold to
>>> the touch, and is painless. As the foreskin proceeds with detachment, 
>>> the body will
>>> do its job, and these pearls will pass out of the foreskin all by 
>>> themselves. These
>>> collected pockets of cells are nothing to worry about. They are simply 
>>> an indication
>>> that the natural process of detachment is occurring.
>>> -Your son has a urinary tract infection (UTI) and needs to be 
>>> circumcised to prevent
>>> it from happening again.
>>> The belief that the foreskin slightly increases the chances of a boy 
>>> having a UTI
>>> is highly controversial and, more importantly, unproven. Members of the 
>>> medical profession
>>> in Europe do not accept it. Medical research proves that UTIs are most 
>>> often caused
>>> by internal congenital deformities of the urinary tract. 2,3,4 The 
>>> foreskin has nothing
>>> to do with this. Even if it could be proven that circumcision slightly 
>>> reduces the
>>> risk of UTI, it is an absurd proposal because UTIs in boys are extremely 
>>> rare and
>>> are easily treated with antibiotics. Breastfeeding, too, helps prevent 
>>> UTIs. Child-friendly
>>> doctors advocate breastfeeding not penile surgery.
>>> -Your son sprays when he urinates. Circumcision will correct this.
>>> In almost every intact boy, the urine stream flows out of the urinary 
>>> opening in
>>> the glans and through the foreskin in a neat stream. During the process 
>>> of penile
>>> growth and development, some boys go through a period where the urine 
>>> stream is diffused.
>>> Undoubtedly, many of these boys take great delight in this phase, while 
>>> mothers,
>>> understandably, find it less amusing. If your boy has entered a spraying 
>>> phase, simply
>>> instruct him to retract his foreskin enough to expose the meatus when he 
>>> urinates.
>>> He will soon outgrow this phase.
>>> -Your son's foreskin balloons when he urinates. He needs to be 
>>> circumcised or else
>>> he will suffer kidney damage.
>>> Ballooning of the foreskin during urination is a normal and temporary 
>>> condition in
>>> some boys. It results in no discomfort and is usually a source of great 
>>> delight for
>>> little boys. Ballooning comes as a surprise only to those adults who 
>>> have no experience
>>> with this phase of penile development. It certainly does not cause 
>>> kidney damage;
>>> it has nothing to do with the kidneys. Ballooning disappears as the 
>>> foreskin and
>>> glans separate and the opening of the foreskin increases in diameter. It 
>>> requires
>>> no treatment.
>>> -Your son caught his foreskin in the zipper of his trousers; we will 
>>> have to cut
>>> it off.
>>> There have been rare cases where a boy has accidentally caught part of 
>>> the skin of
>>> his penis in the zipper of his trousers. This is painful and can cause a 
>>> lot of bleeding.
>>> Cutting off the foreskin, however, is illogical in this situation. By 
>>> cutting across
>>> the bottom of the zipper with scissors, the zipper can easily be opened 
>>> to release
>>> the penile tissue. Any lacerations in the skin can then be closed with 
>>> either sutures
>>> or surgical tape, depending on the situation. The proper standard of 
>>> care in this
>>> situation is to minimize and repair the injury, not make it worse by 
>>> cutting off
>>> the foreskin and creating a larger and more painful surgical wound.
>>> -Your son has phimosis. He needs to be circumcised to correct this 
>>> problem.
>>> Phimosis is often used as a diagnosis when a doctor does not understand 
>>> that the
>>> child's foreskin is supposed to be long, narrow, attached to the glans, 
>>> and resistant
>>> to retraction. Some doctors are prescribing steroid creams for phimosis, 
>>> but this
>>> is unnecessary in children, since the foreskin does not need to be 
>>> retractable in
>>> young boys. The hormones of puberty will do the same thing at the 
>>> appropriate time
>>> that a steroid cream is doing prematurely. In adults who still have a 
>>> foreskin that
>>> is attached to the glans or a foreskin with such a narrow opening that 
>>> the glans
>>> cannot easily pass through it, steroid creams are a conservative 
>>> therapy. This is
>>> if the adult wants a foreskin that fully retracts. Many males don't, 
>>> preferring a
>>> foreskin that remains securely over the glans. It is purely a matter of 
>>> personal
>>> choice, one that only each male can decide for himself.
>>> -Your son has paraphimosis and must be circumcised to prevent it from 
>>> happening again.
>>> Paraphimosis is a rare dislocation of the foreskin. It is caused by the 
>>> foreskin
>>> being prematurely retracted and becoming stuck behind the glans. The 
>>> dislocation
>>> can most often be corrected by applying firm but gentle pressure on the 
>>> glans with
>>> the thumbs, as if you were pushing a cork into a bottle. To reduce the 
>>> swelling,
>>> an injection of hyaluronidase may be effective. Doctors in Britain have 
>>> also reported
>>> good results from packing the penis in granulated sugar.5 Ice packs work 
>>> well, too.
>>> -Your son has BXO and will have to be circumcised.
>>> Some doctors equate phimosis with an extremely rare skin disorder called 
>>> balanitis
>>> xerotica obliterans (BXO), which is also called lichen sclerosus et 
>>> atrophicus (LSA).
>>> BXO can appear anywhere on the body, but if this disorder affects the 
>>> foreskin, it
>>> may turn the opening of the foreskin hard, white, sclerotic, and make 
>>> retraction
>>> almost impossible. BXO is usually painless and progresses very slowly. 
>>> Many times,
>>> it goes away by itself. To an experienced dermatologist, there is no 
>>> mistaking BXO,
>>> but a diagnosis must be confirmed by a biopsy. The good news is that BXO 
>>> can almost
>>> always be successfully cured with steroid creams, carbon dioxide laser 
>>> treatment,
>>> or even antibiotics. Circumcision should be considered only after every 
>>> other treatment
>>> option has failed. Just as we do not amputate the labia of females with 
>>> BXO or the
>>> glans of circumcised boys with BXO, it is logical that we should not 
>>> amputate the
>>> foreskin of intact boys with BXO.
>>> -Your son needs to be circumcised or else he won't enjoy oral sex as an 
>>> adult.
>>> I'm afraid that doctors really have said such inappropriate things to 
>>> parents. Such
>>> a statement is evidence of ignorance of the normal functions and 
>>> sensations of the
>>> intact penis. Classic anatomical investigations have proven that the 
>>> foreskin is
>>> the most richly innervated part of the penis. It has specialized nerve 
>>> receptors
>>> that are directly connected to the pleasure centers of the brain. Your 
>>> intact son
>>> is far better equipped to enjoy all aspects of lovemaking than his 
>>> circumcised peers.
>>> The myth that American women prefer the circumcised penis is, in my 
>>> opinion, demeaning
>>> to women. It may be true that American women of a certain generation and 
>>> social background
>>> were more likely to be familiar with the circumcised penis than the 
>>> intact penis,
>>> but this was the result of the mass circumcision campaigns of the 1950s 
>>> not personal
>>> preference. I suspect that what women prefer in men is more related to 
>>> the personal
>>> qualities of consideration, gentleness, sensitivity, warmth, and 
>>> supportiveness.
>>> It is very unlikely that circumcision increases a male's capacity to 
>>> develop these
>>> qualities.
>>> -Your son needs to be circumcised so that he looks like his father.
>>> A child is a mixture of both his mother's and his father's genetic 
>>> heritage. He doesn't
>>> need to look like his father, nor will he ever look like his father in 
>>> every way.
>>> Each child is a unique gift, and that uniqueness should be cherished. 
>>> The idea that
>>> a boy will be disturbed if his penis does not look like his father's was 
>>> invented
>>> to manipulate people into letting doctors circumcise their children. It 
>>> has no basis
>>> in medical fact.
>>> There are no published reports of an intact boy being disturbed because 
>>> part of his
>>> penis was not cut off when he realized that part of his father's penis 
>>> had been cut
>>> off. When intact boys with circumcised fathers express their feelings on 
>>> the matter,
>>> they consistently report their immense relief and gratitude that they 
>>> were spared
>>> penile surgery. They express sadness, as well, for the suffering their 
>>> dads experienced
>>> as infants.6
>>> Occasionally, a circumcised father will state that he wants his child 
>>> circumcised
>>> because he thinks that it will create a bond between him and his son. It 
>>> is a wonderful
>>> thing for a father to want to establish such a bond, but circumcision 
>>> cannot accomplish
>>> this worthy goal. If a father wants to establish a lasting and 
>>> meaningful bond with
>>> his son, the very best way, and perhaps the only way, he can achieve 
>>> this is by spending
>>> quality time with him and by showing him much affection.
>>> Sadly, some fathers who have been circumcised have an unhealthy attitude 
>>> and may
>>> look for any excuse to schedule the child for circumcision. Putting a 
>>> child in a
>>> position where he fears that part of his penis is going to be cut off is 
>>> abusive.
>>> When fathers demand that their sons be circumcised, I suspect that they 
>>> are desperately
>>> trying to justify their own circumcised condition. The emotions that 
>>> some fathers
>>> feel when they are forced to confront the fact that part of their own 
>>> penis is missing
>>> can be so disturbing that they will do anything to block them out.
>>> A father who forcibly circumcises his son will not win his son's 
>>> gratitude, affection,
>>> trust, or love. I am aware of instances where such events have 
>>> permanently destroyed
>>> the father-son bond and changed a son's love for his father into rage 
>>> and bitter
>>> resentment. In situations where the father suffers from an unhealthy 
>>> attitude about
>>> his son's normal penis, I think it is best for everyone 
>>> concerned--especially the
>>> son--for the father to receive compassionate psychological counseling to 
>>> help him
>>> overcome his problem. All children deserve the saf est, most nurturing, 
>>> and most
>>> loving home possible.
>>> When physicians realize the important functions of the foreskin, they'll 
>>> realize
>>> that just about every problem with it can and should be solved without 
>>> cutting it
>>> off. Cutting off part of the body--especially part of the penis--is an 
>>> extreme measure
>>> that should be reserved for the most extreme of circumstances. The only 
>>> legitimate
>>> indications for cutting off any part of the body, including the 
>>> foreskin, are life-threatening
>>> disease, life-threatening deformity, or irreparable damage. These 
>>> situations are
>>> extremely rare.
>>> The best advice for the care of the intact penis is simply to leave it 
>>> alone. The
>>> intact penis needs no special care. Let your boy take care of it 
>>> himself, and when
>>> he's old enough, he will enjoy taking care of his own body. After all, 
>>> it's his business.
>>> Just relax and avoid worrying about your son's intact penis. Remind 
>>> yourself that
>>> the foreskin is a normal and natural part of the body. If European boys 
>>> grow up healthy
>>> and unconcerned with their foreskins, so can your son.
>>> NOTES
>>> 1. R. S. Van Howe, "Variability in Penile Appearance and Penile 
>>> Findings: A Prospective
>>> Study," British Journal of Urology 80, no. 5 (November 1997): 776-782.
>>> 2. J. Winberg, I. Bollgren, L. Gothefors, M. Herthelius, and K. Tullus, 
>>> "The Prepuce:
>>> A Mistake of Nature?" The Lancet 8638, no. 1 (March 1989): 598-599.
>>> 3. S. M. Downs, "Technical Report: Urinary Tract Infections in Febrile 
>>> Infants and
>>> Young Children," The Urinary Tract Subcommittee of the American Academy 
>>> of Pediatrics
>>> Committee on Quality Improvement, Pediatrics 103, no. 4 (April 1999): 
>>> e54.
>>> 4. M. A. Gill and G. E. Schutze, "Citrobacter Urinary Tract Infections 
>>> in Children,"
>>> Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 18, no. 10 (October 1999): 889-892.
>>> 5. R. Kerwat, A. Shandall, and B. Stephenson, "Reduction of Paraphimosis 
>>> with Granulated
>>> Sugar," British Journal of Urology 82, no. 5 (November 1998): 755.
>>> 6. Rosemary Romberg, Circumcision: The Painful Dilemma (South Hadley, 
>>> Mass.: Bergan
>>> & Garvey, 1985).
>>> FOR MORE INFORMATION
>>> Organizations
>>> If your physician or healthcare provider ever recommends that your child 
>>> be circumcised,
>>> get another opinion from a physician who understands the important 
>>> functions of the
>>> foreskin, no matter how "urgent" the situation may be. For help finding 
>>> one in your
>>> area, contact:
>>> National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers 
>>> (NOCIRC). PO Box
>>> 2512, San Anselmo, CA 94979-2512.
>>>               415-488-9883        . Fax: 415-488-9660.
>>> www.nocirc.org/
>>> Doctors are encouraged to contact and join:
>>> Doctors Opposing Circumcision (DOC). 2442 NW Market Street #42, Seattle, 
>>> WA 98107.
>>> 360-385-1882
>>> . Fax: 360-385-1948. faculty.washington.edu/gcd/DOC/
>>> Another resource especially for nurses:
>>> Nurses for the Rights of the Child. 369 Montezuma #354, Santa Fe, NM 
>>> 87501.
>>> 505-989-7377        .
>>> www.cirp.org/nrc/
>>> For information about alternative bris for Jewish parents:
>>> Circumcision Resource Center. Ronald Goldman, PhD. PO Box 232, Boston, 
>>> MA 02133.
>>> 617-523-0088        .
>>> www.circumcision.org/
>>> One of the best sources of information on the Internet:
>>> The Circumcision Information and Resource Pages.
>>> www.cirp.org/
>>> Books
>>> Denniston, G. C., F. M. Hodges, and M. F. Milos, eds. Male and Female 
>>> Circumcision:
>>> Medical, Ethical, and Legal Issues in Pediatric Practice. Kluwer 
>>> Academic/Plenum
>>> Press, 1999.
>>> Goldman, Ronald. Circumcision: The Hidden Trauma. Vanguard, 1996.
>>> Illingworth, Ronald S. The Normal Child: Some Problems of the Early 
>>> Years and Their
>>> Treatment. Tenth edition. Churchill Livingstone, 1991.
>>> O'Mara, Peggy, ed. Circumcision: The Rest of the Story. Mothering, 1993.
>>> Ritter, Thomas, and George C. Denniston. Say No to Circumcision! Second 
>>> edition.
>>> Hourglass, 1996.
>>> Books of special interest for Jewish parents: Goldman, Ronald. 
>>> Questioning Circumcision:
>>> A Jewish Perspective. Vanguard, 1997.
>>> Hoffman, Lawrence A. Covenant of Blood: Circumcision and Gender in 
>>> Rabbinic Judaism.
>>> University of Chicago Press, 1996.
>>> Weiner, Kayla. Jewish Women Speak Out: Expanding the Boundaries of 
>>> Psychology. Canopy
>>> Press, 1995.
>>> Important medical journal articles: DeVries, C. R., A. K. Miller, and M. 
>>> G. Packer.
>>> "Reduction of Paraphimosis with Hyaluronidase." Urology 48 (1996): 
>>> 464-465.
>>> Fleiss, P. M., F. M. Hodges, and R. S. Van Howe. "Immunological 
>>> Functions of the
>>> Human Prepuce." Sexually Transmitted Infections 74 (1998): 364-367.
>>> Jorgensen, E. T., and A. Svensson. "Problems with the Penis and Prepuce 
>>> in Children:
>>> Lichen Sclerosus Should Be Treated with Coricosteroids to Reduce Need 
>>> for Surgery."
>>> British Medical Journal 313 (September 14, 1996): 692.
>>> Nolan, J. F., T. J. Stillwell, and J. P. Sands, Jr. "Acute Management of 
>>> the Zipper-Entrapped
>>> Penis." Journal of Emergency Medicine 8 (1990): 305-307.
>>> Shaw, Angus. "Africa to Address AIDS at Conference." Science (September 
>>> 10, 1999).
>>> Van Howe, R. S. "Circumcision and HIV Infection: Review of the 
>>> Literature and Meta-analysis."
>>> International Journal of STD & AIDS 10 (1999): 8-16.
>>> Van Howe, R. S. "Does Circumcision Influence Sexually Transmitted 
>>> Diseases? A Literature
>>> Review." British Journal of Urology International 83, Supplement 1 
>>> (1999 ): 52-62.
>>>
>>>
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