Circumcision?

Re: Circumcision?

You have struck upon the reason I think it is a good idea. According to my dh, little boys don't have nearly as much feeling there as grown men. For example, a baseball hit him in the family jewels when he was little and he barely noticed. I don't know much about the surgery. I just wanted to give you some moral support. I knew many men in the military who had this done for the same reason. Believe me, it's worse for grown men. If he's already getting infections, you are sparing him a lot more pain than you are causing.

Re: Circumcision?

Little boys might not have the fullness in the testicles for it to hurt as much when they get hit, but as a mom to 3 uncirc'ed boys and an uncirc'ed hubby I can tell you that not only is the foreskin super sensitive, so is the head of the penis underneith it. There are a ton of nerve endings in the skin it's self and because the head has been covered and protected from rubbing and friction it's a lot more sensitive then a circ'ed penis that has had sensation dulled over time.
My grandfather had to be circ'ed as an adult(he worked in blacktopping, and being a guy[from the old school, whose parents never taught him proper grooming in that area] that could pee anywhere with his dirty grimy hands he got an infection he didn't take care of). He said the circ. wasn't bad(thanks to the good pain drugs they can give an adult) it was the "rubbing" afterward that drove him crazy...it was like constant intense tickle/pain sensation . He couldn't wear underwear and even the boxer shorts drove him crazy.... I believe his exact words were" it's like rubbin'' your bare nipple on rough sandpaper all day long".

Re: Circumcision?

My DSs are circumcised and I won't go into the reasons, but if your son is having infections, have you talked to his doctor to find out the cause? Not to offend, but is it a cleaning issue that's causing them? Or is there a medical reason causing them?

I do think this is a personal decision to make and one that requires a lot of research, thought and consultations with your doctor. Plus check your insurance as the procedure may not now be covered unless it's medically necessary since it wasn't done at birth.

As for the aftercare, I have no idea what to tell you to expect as 18 months is a lot older and more able to communicate than a newborn. My boys had no problems after theirs, we had to keep vaseline on their penises until they healed, and they didn't have a problem with peeing. But I have heard where little babies didn't want to pee because it hurt and where some got infections.

The best advice I have is to talk to your son's pediatrician.

Re: Circumcision?

My boys aren't circ'd, and neither is my DH. None of them have ever had an infection.

I wonder if the infections are truly related to not being circ'd.

Re: Circumcision?

Mine are not done.
I believe most infections can be prevented by making sure to have good hygenic.
There are other reasons problems can arise.

Re: Circumcision?

I think only you can decide what is best for you family.

Re: Circumcision?

Ouch! Have you talked to your family dr? I imagine this is something they can do in the dr's office.

Re: Circumcision?

I'm seriously doubting that they will do this in a MD's office for a toddler. At that age, they would really need some light sedation as well as local anesthesia for the procedure. My kid has a cow just getting his ears checked, I couldn't imagine them trying to circ him in an office with just local anesthesia...... Well, that and I wouldn't let them do it that way, either.

Re: Circumcision?

Circ'ing your LO's is a very tough decision. There is always going to be a big debate about it, and most times everyone just assumes if your LO has infections it's caused by improper cleaning techniques, which CAN and DOES happen, but doesn't sound like that's the issue here. There are definately tons of medical reasons to have your LO circ'd.

I agree with the other posters that you're best place for advice on this would be his pead, or your family DR/GP.

I wish you the best of luck in your decision!

Re: Circumcision?

I'm definitely not interested in a debate, but I would be interested in some of those medical reasons if you have time. All I have found are opinions, not real medical proof.

Re: Circumcision?

I don't really have time to go dig up links to back up what Im saying, but as a PSW (personal support worker) I've seen many an infected penis, in all ages, and in men from all walks of life.

If your LO has reoccuring issues with infections, or your teenage son, or even a grown man, I definately think it's something to look into as a preventative/curative measure.

I'm not saying that having it done will cure all infections, or that a little boy, teenage boy, or grown man cannot get an infection because they are uncirc'd either.

However, bacteria thrives in warm, dark, moist areas, and based on that alone, the foreskin of a penis is a breeding ground for bacteria- should any (foreign) bacteria be introduced to that area, and not taken care of.

Also, some people (woman and men included) do not know to let the foreskin naturally retract on it's own, and force this to occur before it would, otherwise naturally. This, in itself, can cause infection. Also, on the same note, some woman who do retract their LO's foreskin, before it naturally does it on their own, may not know to pull the foreskin back over the penis head again. **I am not trying to imply anything mean, or that parents that do this are stupid, some just honestly don't know!**

Some boys/men are not taught proper care, for whatever reason, also.

The penis and vagina are unique parts of ones body, and naturally have 'good' bacteria there.

My previous statement that there are medical reasons, is one based soley on my own personal experiences I've encountered in the medical field.

HTH clears things up