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

[Deborah Kent Stein]

True enough; controversy can get us all to stretch a bit.

I'm off to convention in Detroit this morning, and look forward to meeting 
many listers at the blind parents group meeting.  It's a great opportunity 
to connect and share our ideas and experiences.  Marcia Lindsay will be 
talking about a piece of legislation just passed in Maryland to help protect 
blind parents from blindness-based custody cases.

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 4:54 PM
Subject: Re: [blparent] [Bulk] Re: [Bulk] Re: [Bulk] bathing an infant


> Hi,
>
> I don't think anyone is disrespecting anybody's choices here at all. 
> Sometimes a little healthy debaie is a good thing.  smile
>
> Tammy
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Deborah Kent Stein" <dkent5817 at worldnet.att.net>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 12:49 PM
> Subject: [Bulk] Re: [blparent] [Bulk] Re: [Bulk] bathing an infant
>
>
>>
>>
>> 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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