Child Foreskin Retraction

sugarandspice · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirConcis

Where do you get that 90% figure ? So USA anti-cir web site ?

In europe, foreskin retraction isn't an issue and isn't a dramatic problems. Parents just pull teh skin back gently during the bath. They are smart eough to not forcibly pull it back. If you don't forcibly pull it back, you won't hurt it.

To say that Americans shouldn't try to retract the foreksin is an insult to american parents, accusing them of not having the judgement of how to "gently try to retract the skin".

re: teaching them to wash when they are teenagers. This recommendation is laughable. By the time a child is a "teenager", parents have long stopped teachiing them about body hygiene and especially washing of genitals. This is done early in childhood 3 to 7 years old.

As soon as the foreskin is retractable, you want to have it retracted at least once a day to keep the skin elastic and especially during the childhood growth spurts. Remember that for boys with long foreksins, boyhood erections will not task the foreksin to retract since the ofreksin will be long enough to remain over the glans, so it will not cause foreksin opening to stretch. Manual retraction is important.

It is no big deal to teach son to try to retract skin once a day at least. The rest of the world has had centuries of experience with this. Foreskins may be new to the USA, but they are not new to Europe and south America.

The need for the foreskin to be retracted is precisely why circ was popular in the US in the first place.
Americans thought that this could lead to masturbation and is why they decided to have the foreskins lopped off.

Hellboy0 · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarandspice

I don't know about other places but in the US many doctors believe propaganda and are not very smart at all about these things.

I say a forum is much better.

I tend to agree with sugarandspice on this one issue. You can still consult with your doctor, but remember: they ain't all that! I am constantly reminded of a joke:
Question: What do you call a guy who graduates from Medical University ranked 499th out of a class of 500?
Answer: A Doctor

I'm intelligent and can attempt to understand what research is found on the internet, as well as given here in a forum (which is a bit more user-friendly). Once I'm armed with the information, THEN I visit my doc and see what he/she has to say.

On this particular issue, I'm not surprised that a new parent wants to ask this question. But I'm very surprised that they think it's all so difficult. As other posters have said, the vast majority of the world is raising uncircumcised children without an epidemic of horrific conditions due to having a foreskin!

sugarandspice · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Greek Dude

I actually never remember my foreskin being fused to the glans. My mom always washed behind it when she bathed me, and she told me every time that it needs to be "pulled back" to be rinsed under. When I was about 5, I already knew it was supposed to be washed, and I did it on my own.

Don't want until the boy's older. . .tell him all along.

BRAVO!! Good advise!

sugarandspice · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellboy0

I tend to agree with sugarandspice on this one issue. You can still consult with your doctor, but remember: they ain't all that! I am constantly reminded of a joke:
Question: What do you call a guy who graduates from Medical University ranked 499th out of a class of 500?
Answer: A Doctor

I'm intelligent and can attempt to understand what research is found on the internet, as well as given here in a forum (which is a bit more user-friendly). Once I'm armed with the information, THEN I visit my doc and see what he/she has to say.

On this particular issue, I'm not surprised that a new parent wants to ask this question. But I'm very surprised that they think it's all so difficult. As other posters have said, the vast majority of the world is raising uncircumcised children without an epidemic of horrific conditions due to having a foreskin!

Well, everything is a big deal to a new parent.
New parents are afraid that mistakes will harm their children. They feel they must do everything exactly right or something horrible will happen.
It is scary to be a new parent.
Besides he asked a very important question that possibly saved the child from harm.
He seems very responsible and caring.
Good job!

jason_els · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirConcis

Where do you get that 90% figure ? So USA anti-cir web site ?

Oops, you're right. That should have been +95% or so and that's erring on the side of more than not.

The US represents only 5% of the world population but even then only about half the US circumcises their infant boys. There are only 14,000,000 or so Jews in the world so their inclusion won't budge that percentage much at all. Nearly all other cultures or religions which circumcise their boys wait until just before adolescence, hence my figure.

chosencock399 · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarandspice

The need for the foreskin to be retracted is precisely why circ was popular in the US in the first place.
Americans thought that this could lead to masturbation and is why they decided to have the foreskins lopped off.

Haha it did lead to masturbation in my case.

erratic · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by chosencock399

Haha it did lead to masturbation in my case.

Me too! Learning how to clean under my foreskin was directly related to me suddenly enjoying bathing.

If I might offer a bit of advice to the OP: When you do teach your son how to clean under his foreskin (though I agree you shouldn't be forcing the issue, you probably should tell him how at some point) I would not recommend some harsh soap. It's very sensitive tissue underneath - not really skin - and can react negatively to soaps with lots of additives or "antibacterial" agents. If plain old water doesn't work recommend the kid use soaps for sensitive skin. And no scrubbing! Just a bit of sliding it around will work.

lvprcm · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by sugarandspice

I don't know about other places but in the US many doctors believe propaganda and are not very smart at all about these things.

I say a forum is much better.

I agree to some degree. It's best to consult with a doctor but go into an office visit informed so that you know what questions to ask and then determine if the doctor has done his homework i.e.(continuing medical education CME) or research. Some doctors are very well versed on recent studies, and treatments and arent' always quick to cut away at a problem. I have worked with various medical doctors for over 15 years and most haven't done any real studies and research into anything since they left medical school and they generally take what was the consensus treatment in their heyday at school.

In an earlier comment from someone else regarding getting a circumcision later in a babies life, some of this is true. There is a growing trend of babies leaving the hospital uncircumcised, thus influencing the stats a bit. Some of it maybe due to insurance, preference of parents, or that the baby was premature. This trend has been picked up by doctors who have now seen another window of opportunity due to attaining higher reimbursement rates from insurance for doing circumcisions at their offices or at a cheaper ASC (ambulatory surgery center) rather than at the hospital of birth.

SteveHd · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex8.5

My advice would be consult your Doctor, not a web site..

Consult a doctor for cleaning advice? Get real! Independent medical websites -- such as Medline [operated by the National Institutes of Health] -- are good enough for cleaning advice.

SteveHd · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by chosencock399

Haha it did lead to masturbation in my case.

Quote:

Originally Posted by erratic

Me too! Learning how to clean under my foreskin was directly related to me suddenly enjoying bathing.

Umm ... you guys are providing evidence that the Victorians were right about something: foreskin facilitates/encourages masturbation.

snoozan · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveHd

Consult a doctor for cleaning advice? Get real! Independent medical websites -- such as Medline [operated by the National Institutes of Health] -- are good enough for cleaning advice.

I am assuming you don't have any children because most people with kids (especially a first child) ask their pediatricians for advice on everything from cleaning to feeding to sleeping to playing. What I noticed online when I read up on anything related to parenting was a lot of misinformation, contradictions, crackpot advice, and pure ignorance. As a parent I chose my son's doctor for many reasons including his experience with intact boys. With that in mind, I trust his education and beliefs and will often ask him for advice on things that may not be what you think requires consulting a physician. People should educate themselves by all means, but a personal relationship with a good physician trumps anything you read online.

What really bothers me is that some posters get all in a lather (on both sides) when people ask questions about their children and their circumcision status when you have absolutely no experience with parenting whatsoever. I personally think that RIC is unnecessary, but please don't pretend to know how to care for a young child when it's painfully obvious that you've never done so in your life.

Plebh · 05-05-2008

That would be me. If i don't know something ask the expert, as well informed as some people might be the doctor's advice would overule as he's the one that's studied medicine for many years. My friend is beginning a Pediatric neurology degree next year and it'l be over 10 years until she's qualified, how can a website even compare to that.

Hellboy0 · 05-05-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plebh

That would be me. If i don't know something ask the expert, as well informed as some people might be the doctor's advice would overule as he's the one that's studied medicine for many years. My friend is beginning a Pediatric neurology degree next year and it'l be over 10 years until she's qualified, how can a website even compare to that.

It's a big, big world and no one person can know everything about the field of Medicine. We've all heard the numerous stories of doctors giving bad or uninformed advise. I don't expect my doctor to have all of the answers no matter how many years he/she has studied. Second opinions are very important for the intelligent patient (or parent of the patient).

In addition, the issue of circumcision is not just one of cutting off a bit of unnecessary and annoying bit of skin. Not all advice given by your doc is going to be unbiased. I told one of the GP's at my health centre that I was concerned about the continued use of circumcision for infants in this country... and he was surprised that I thought it was odd. Yet one of my female clients who is also a GP and knows this guy said she was not surprised at his answer, because of his family and ethnic backgrounds.

So I repeat, do some research (read, internet, chat), ask your doctor, then ask another doctor.

Big Swinging Dick · 05-05-2008

So long as a parent (or anyone for that matter) doesn't simply take what some anonymous poster on some website posted as gospel. Especially when it comes to things of a medical/physical nature.

Plebh · 05-05-2008

Fair point about second opinions though but in live in England so there isn't any Pro-circ doctors around here

Child Foreskin Retraction

Originally Posted by SirConcis Where do you get that 90% figure ? So USA anti-cir web site ? In europe, foreskin retraction isn't an issue and isn't a dramatic problems. Parents just pull teh skin