My 3yo has a UTI & the ped had the gall to suggest circ

[msmiranda]

Has this ever happened to anyone else? He looked at me like it was my fault that my son has a UTI because we didn't circumcise him at birth. I am so incensed I don't know what to do. I told him in no uncertain terms that there was no way in hell I would consider doing that for a UTI that can be treated with antibiotics. He said that boys shouldn't get UTIs at all, and the only reason he got it is because he is intact (of course he used the normative term "not circumcised").

Thoughts? Evidence? Refutations I can send him? Finding a new ped is not a realistic possibility because we have Kaiser and it would just be his one other colleague that we could switch to and then it would be uncomfortable because we would see him in the hall. He's a nice enough guy otherwise, just clearly very biased in favor of circ. I don't really care to search far and wide for a ped that shares my every view. I just want him to know he is wrong on this.

[peainthepod]

Can you find a good general or family practitioner instead? GPs are often (not always!) less prone to the "when all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" mindset.

Sorry that happened and good for you in standing up to your ped. I would send him to the Doctors Opposing Circumcision site and tell him to educate himself about care of the intact penis.

[Fellow Traveler]

Originally Posted by msmiranda

Has this ever happened to anyone else? He looked at me like it was my fault that my son has a UTI because we didn't circumcise him at birth. I am so incensed I don't know what to do. I told him in no uncertain terms that there was no way in hell I would consider doing that for a UTI that can be treated with antibiotics. He said that boys shouldn't get UTIs at all, and the only reason he got it is because he is intact (of course he used the normative term "not circumcised").

Thoughts? Evidence? Refutations I can send him? Finding a new ped is not a realistic possibility because we have Kaiser and it would just be his one other colleague that we could switch to and then it would be uncomfortable because we would see him in the hall. He's a nice enough guy otherwise, just clearly very biased in favor of circ. I don't really care to search far and wide for a ped that shares my every view. I just want him to know he is wrong on this.

I would send him a copy ofmthe Australian info on circa and uti it is not all all indicated in standard cases.

[Greg B]

Be sure to make it clear he is not to touch your son's penis ever. He sounds like he is totally clueless about foreskins so could do real damage.

It sounds like he needs a lot more than an article about UTIs. Here are a few that may help if he is not too close minded:

http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcisi...d_brochure.pdf

http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcisi...kinleaflet.pdf

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

The last one has a good section on the UTI issue, including references.

Regards

[Fyrestorm]

The flawed studies say that circ only reduces UTIs in the first year of life.

[arihillfarm]

Originally Posted by msmiranda

Has this ever happened to anyone else? He looked at me like it was my fault that my son has a UTI because we didn't circumcise him at birth. I am so incensed I don't know what to do. I told him in no uncertain terms that there was no way in hell I would consider doing that for a UTI that can be treated with antibiotics. He said that boys shouldn't get UTIs at all, and the only reason he got it is because he is intact (of course he used the normative term "not circumcised").

Thoughts? Evidence? Refutations I can send him? Finding a new ped is not a realistic possibility because we have Kaiser and it would just be his one other colleague that we could switch to and then it would be uncomfortable because we would see him in the hall. He's a nice enough guy otherwise, just clearly very biased in favor of circ. I don't really care to search far and wide for a ped that shares my every view. I just want him to know he is wrong on this.

There are plenty of intact and circ'ed boys that get them too, just not nearly as many as girls or women. If it were me, I'd tell him "I've had at least a dozen UTIs in my life (which is true). Guess how many body parts I've had amputated because of them? Zero. Find another "treatment" for my son or I'll find a new doctor."

-Astrid

[serendipity22]

He said that boys shouldn't get UTIs at all, and the only reason he got it is because he is intact (of course he used the normative term "not circumcised").

This is complete nonsense of course. I would be incensed too. And i haven't seen any study claiming higher rates for intact boys over 12 months old.

My daughter had UTIs and I believe 'holding on' for number one was a contributing factor.

There are other things you can do to reduce the odds of a UTI.

[msmiranda]

Originally Posted by serendipity22

This is complete nonsense of course. I would be incensed too. And i haven't seen any study claiming higher rates for intact boys over 12 months old.

My daughter had UTIs and I believe 'holding on' for number one was a contributing factor.

There are other things you can do to reduce the odds of a UTI.

Yes, I agree. After doing some research on what causes UTIs, I believe that holding his pee and not drinking enough fluids were the main causes. Unfortunately I'm not sure how to get him to change these two things, except to offer him more milk (he will drink water sometimes but not nearly as much as I would like). He's a typical spirited 3yo who sometimes doesn't want to stop playing to go to the bathroom and will hold it until I notice that he's dancing a jig and make him go to the bathroom.

Yeah, I think the ped was just dead wrong factually on this one, but it's clear that he's pro-circ in general so believing this just fits his worldview. At my younger son's next well visit I am going to speak with him about it and make it clear that I don't want to hear one more word about circ or about my kids being intact even if we come in every month for UTIs. If he can't keep his mouth shut then I will switch to the other ped.

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

[cristeen]

Report him to the head of his dept. A Kaiser doctor should know better. It's up to his department head to better educate him.

Send whatever info you want to send to the head of pediatrics with the information that your ped X recommended circ because of a simple UTI, and that it's his/her responsibility to make sure the doctors practicing under him/her are better informed as to proper treatment/current recommendations/etc.

You can also take it to the patient liaison.

Kaiser is actually pretty easy to deal with once you know the ins and outs. Much easier than an independent doc IME. The problem is learning the ins and outs, since they don't advertise them.

[mama2soren]

Originally Posted by arihillfarm

There are plenty of intact and circ'ed boys that get them too, just not nearly as many as girls or women. If it were me, I'd tell him "I've had at least a dozen UTIs in my life (which is true). Guess how many body parts I've had amputated because of them? Zero. Find another "treatment" for my son or I'll find a new doctor."

-Astrid

This is exactly what I was thinking when I read the OP. I certainly hope he's never advised a 3 year old female patient to get a labiectomy for a UTI.

If it's an option for you to do so, turn and run far, far away from this doc! I'd have a hard time putting my trust in him after such a ridiculous, non-evidence-based recommendation. Putting your son through potentially risky penile surgery when a simple round of abx is actually a much better way of fixing the issue? Holy moly.