not an advocate but still think this is wrong

[htcamommy]

So let me begin by saying I am not a huge anti-circ advocate. That being said I am truly sad concerning my nephew & would like some tender advice on how I could persuade her not to circ her son. She has a hereditary blood clotting disorder which she could have passed down to her son. For this reason the dr.'s adviced her not to circ till he was one. He is now 5 months old and they have all intentions on having him placed under anestsia (probably spelled wrong) and performing this "cosmetic procedure" the week after his first birthday. When I discussed it with her she said "it will lower his risks of STD's". I explained to her that study was inconclusive and a condom worked wonders as well. I know that her husband and her twin boys (adopted) are all circ'ed so this is probably a concern.

[Nicole B]

Maybe mention/ask her about how perfect he looks and how easy it is to care for...
I'd tell her that since she's waiting till he's one anyway then what is the big deal with holding off till he's much older...say old enough to actually CHOOSE for himself if he thinks this cosmetic procedure is really worth the trouble to go through
She surely knows there will be discomfort/pain and a one yr old still can't communicate the extent of the trama/healing pains.
If he was say 18 and wanted it done he could have the painkillers and know when he needed to take them based on his personal comfort, not to mention the operation would then be on a sexually mature man and they could do it to his liking...

I don't understand some parents
A "pro-circ" mom is 'forced' to leave her son intact and sees first hand how perfectly easy it is to take care of for 5 months and STILL thinks it's a worth while procedure that she needs to put her little toddler through???

I'm glad you are trying to be a voice of reason for her and hopefully can save her baby from this unnecisarry trauma in his life:

[In Exile]

The little one is born with a higher chance of a blood clotting disorder and the parents want to put a healthy child under genereal anaestesia? Some people are friggin' unbelievable.

Did they circ the adopted twins?

Sounds like a hardcore circer to me who won't stop at all cost until all kids are circed. So sorry but I don't think you will change the mind of somebody who goes to those kind of measures to make sure the kids are cut.

Some people just don't understand what it means to have a healthy child that does not need surgery.

[Ola_]

If they waited this long, why not just wait a bit longer and let him choose if he wants it done or not? Especially since there is a risk with the clotting disorder. Then he can cut his foreskin into strips if he wants to.

[knucklehead]

I honestly don't understand some people. I would cut off my own left hand before allowing this to happen to my boy.

[Greg B]

She should decide based on the benefits vs the risks and negatives. It sounds like she has bought into the STDs argument, though you tried to point out the flaws. Here are two resources that touch on other points that may be persuasive:

http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcisi...yStatement.pdf

http://www.nocirc.org/statements/hiv2003.php

HIV and other STDs are unlikely to be an issue until much later in life, so they really do not make a compelling case even if you think they are valid. The reason people want to do it early in their son's life is the mistaken notion that it is less traumatic and/or he won't remember. Both of these have been debunked, or at least called into question.

Regards

[Night_Nurse]

Have you shown her the infant circ video or asked her husband to watch the Penn and Teller episode? That might help.

Not that I'd ever circ my son anyway, but there's no way I'd ever place a child with any clotting disorder in harms way for an elective surgery. Have you asked her how she'll feel if anything goes wrong? Since she has two children adopted, I'm sure they are not identical to their daddy. So maybe the biological son doesn't have to "match" daddy either. They can all be unique and take pride in their differences. I think most die-hard circ advocates would hesitate to circ a child w/ clotting disorders. I hope she'll reconsider.

[Nandi]

The std studies are flawed at best.
I second night nurses concerns about the clotting disorder. Even in kids without the risk of clotting disorder, hemorrhage is a possible adverse from surgery. With the extra risk, this is a potentially deadly idea. (Death is also a risk of RIC)
The risks are very real and often parents are unaware of how severe they can be. Sepsis, meatal stenosis, necrotising fasciitis, infection, brain damage secondary to infection, penile amputation, glans amputation, and urethral fistulas are all risks of this surgery. This is not an exhaustive list of complications. The American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Cancer society do not recommend routine infant circumcision. The right for children to have an intact body should be gender neutral.

[KBecks]

He doesn't need this surgery, and the blood loss is risky for him. Why risk that, when there is nothing wrong w/being intact?