UTI in 2yo=CIRCUMCISION!!??

[RaRa7]

I'm not sure what to think right now. My ds-2 1/2-is just getting over a UTI. This VERY rare in children and evn more so in boys.
I believe it's b/c he will poop his diaper, not tell me and sits in it until I smell it.
Yesterday his doc told me he'd talked with a pediatric urologist. His first question was whether his foreskin had been retracted yet. I said I didn't think so. "Well by 2 years it should be retracting already just by normal playing, spontaneous erections. Why don't we let the urologist do that instead of you or I" WHAT!!??
He also said if the UTI's are recurring he should be circumcised!
Please give me your input. This seems insane

[SleeplessMommy]

Sorry you got that doc. (S)he is nuts, and very wrong of course.

He would subject a kid to general anesthesia for a circ to possibly, allegedly reduce the chance of a minor UTI treatable with a few days antibiotics???

[bandgeek]

It IS insane! Because none of the info your doc gave you is true. : 10 years is more average for retraction. And recurrent UTI's is not a reason to circ. What if you had a little girl with recurrent UTI's? What would you do? Do the same exact thing for a boy.

I would just ignore the doc and treat problems (appropriately) if they should arise.

[Eben'sMama]

I would find a new ped--now.

That's just insane. The urinary tract is up inside the penis and in the abdomen--just like in a girl. Cutting off exterior skin isn't going to do anything but traumatize and mutilate your DS. :

There's a wide, wide range for retraction, too. My DS (32 mos) isn't retracting yet, and has just started ballooning and hainvg other signs of separation in the past few months.

[tennisdude23]

Foreskin is not a cause of UTIs. Circumcised men get recurrent UTIs as well. Perhaps, then we should cut off entire penises. The UTI argument is actually fairly new, dating back from the 1980s. The studies on it are hotly disputed, and at best they have shown that circumcision reduces one's chance of getting UTI only in the first six months/year of life, with 99% of boys avoiding them regardless of circ. status. If your son gets a UTI, you treat it with antibiotics, not surgery. I don't know if this is TMI, but I did not start fully retracting until I began puberty, which was around 10, 11 years of age. Up to that point, my doctor never said anything about it nor did they ever manipulate my foreskin at least from what I can remember. In fact, no medical professional has ever commented about my intact status. So, these type of stories about ill informed docs. always really surprise me.

[robertandenith]

find a foreskin friendly ped, he is not. :

[Night_Nurse]

Yes, that advice is crazy.
Some boys are retractable by age 2 but certainly not all of them. Your son has plenty of time (years) before this is even an issue. Nobody needs to retract him. So the doctor talked to the urologist and the urologist, who makes a nice profit from performing surgery, recommended circumcision. Of course he did. It's easy money.
Your son doesn't need a circ. Is this his first UTI or does he get them frequently? If you think the issue is due to dirty diapers, your son will be using the toilet consistently between now or the next year or two, so then it will be a non-issue.
If the doctor brings it up again, please ask him/her what would be recommended if your child was a girl with a uti? I'm pretty sure they wouldn't recommend surgery.

Hugs to you and your son. I hope he's feeling better soon.

[chaoticzenmom]

NO! That's not correct. Some boys don't retract until pre-puberty! I would make it very clear that NOBODY is to retract him. If these infections are recurrent, then your son may have kidney reflux. That has NOTHING to do with the foreskin. I seriously doubt that it's a big issue at all and I'm positive that it has nothing to do with his foreskin. It would be like cutting off your nose for a throat infection.

Read up on Kidney reflux and in the meantime, research pediatric urologists who are foreskin friendly.

Another possibility is that it's not a uti at all, but an irritation caused from pulling/stretching or the foreskin starting to separate.

Good luck.
Lisa

[chaoticzenmom]

Originally Posted by tennisdude23

Foreskin is not a cause of UTIs. Circumcised men get recurrent UTIs as well. Perhaps, then we should cut off entire penises. The UTI argument is actually fairly new, dating back from the 1980s. The studies on it are hotly disputed, and at best they have shown that circumcision reduces one's chance of getting UTI only in the first six months/year of life, with 99% of boys avoiding them regardless of circ. status. If your son gets a UTI, you treat it with antibiotics, not surgery. I don't know if this is TMI, but I did not start fully retracting until I began puberty, which was around 10, 11 years of age. Up to that point, my doctor never said anything about it nor did they ever manipulate my foreskin at least from what I can remember. In fact, no medical professional has ever commented about my intact status. So, these type of stories about ill informed docs. always really surprise me.

That is very true.
My husband didn't retract until 10 and he knew it was normal because he's French and in France, that's common knowledge. His father was the same way. My son is almost 9 and not retractable. I had a ped say that he needed circ at 2 because he wasn't retractable! I changed peds and told the new one not to mess with his penis. My 3yo is starting to retract and it irritates his penis sometimes, which is why I think the UTI or pain could be caused from that.

[LavenderMae]

That ped is dangerously (to intact boys anyway) misinformed.

Of course your son doesn't need to be circumcised and there's no reason why his foreskin must retract at 2 either. Many boys are not retractable at 2 or 4 or 8 ect.

[MommytoB]

That doctor is nuts and if had him/her . I would have said what would you do if a circ'ed boy had reccurrent uti infections because I know you wouldn't cut off his penis .

I wish most people would read because where does it ever say UTI's are a benefits that last a lifetime for circ'ed males when there are words (potentially, may, possible) reduce in the First year of life (hello infanthood) and the potentially, may or possible does not Mean Definete if you know what I mean .

[Dave2GA]

The whole retractability issue is covered very well with footnotes to the literature at www.cirp.org in the normal anatomy section of the library. The UTI issue is also covered in a section of the library. You would do your ped a favor if you would copy the Kayaba article on the stages of retractability and give it to her/him, as well as a copy of the article showing that boys with UTI's often have UT anomalies.

[Haselnuss]

One of my daughters had a UTI last year, and guess what? The doctor didn't suggest surgery!
Think about it. If a UTI isn't a reason for amputating anything for a girl, why should it be for a boy?

Yeah, this doctor is full of it.

[urchin_grey]

Definitely insane.

DS is 3.5 and his foreskin is not showing any signs of retraction.
And like PPs said, if he were a girl, they would not have suggested surgery. :

[*Erin*]

Originally Posted by Haselnuss

One of my daughters had a UTI last year, and guess what? The doctor didn't suggest surgery!
Think about it. If a UTI isn't a reason for amputating anything for a girl, why should it be for a boy?

Yeah, this doctor is full of it.

nak
i was gonna say that too.
the doc is not a good one, wouldnt go back.

[AbbieB]

Run from that pedi (and don't use the urologist that he/she recommends!)

If my son (or DD for that matter) had a reoccurring UTI I would stock up on cranberry juice, not cut off a part of there body.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

Recurring UTI can be a sign of a abnormality in the urinary tract and should be checked out to prevent kidney damage but in no way is circ helpful for that. Having a foreskin actually helps prevent UTI in most cases.

[RaRa7]

Wow!! I hadn't been receiving notifications about posts to this thread--was a nice suprise when I saw so many!
Thank you, everyone, for your input. Circumcision is not an option as far as I am concerned. I haven't been able to tell my DH or even my own mother about this visit with the ped. b/c they are both pro-circ and I don't want them to say any sort of "I told you so"
Would love to find a better ped. but since we don't vax, he is the only one around who will see us!
I will keep you posted about the visit with the urologist--I may need handcuffs to keep him away from ds' foreskin!

[RaRa7]

Should have mentioned that this is his FIRST UTI.

[loveyourohana]

I would tell the urologist not to touch or pull back any skin at all, before you place your child in his/her arms... and let them know that circ. is not an option at all.

I honestly wouldn't have made the apt. with the urologist at this point... considering this is his first UTI... antibiotics... see how it goes; I would let your doc. know you plan on doing this, and if he gets another one later you will consider taking him to a urologist... possiblity make a apt wtih the urologist on the second or third UTI. More money from the insur. companies... remember we are in tough times. I cant believe he recommended seeing a specialist with the first infection. Ridiculous!