Parents should overcome the fear of circumcision first
Pointing out that the child's calmness about circumcision is very much related to the attitude of the family, experts say, "The family should get information about circumcision from physicians and first calm their own fears. The child's calmness depends on this," they warn.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Child Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mine Elagöz Yüksel said that the attitude of the family is very important in overcoming fears about circumcision.
FIRST PARENTS SHOULD CALM THEIR FEARS
Stating that it is important for families to obtain information from their physicians about how circumcision is a procedure and to calm their own fears, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mine Elagöz Yüksel said, "Because the child's calmness is related to the family's calmness. While short explanations may be sufficient between the ages of one and two, school-age children should be told why circumcision will be performed and the circumcision process, at the right time, first by a trusted family relative (preferably the father) and then by the physician in a language they can understand."
FRIGHTENING DISCOURSES SHOULD BE CORRECTED
Emphasizing that the child should be supportive, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mine Elagöz Yüksel said, "The discourses he heard from the environment, such as that his penis will be completely cut off and that it will hurt a lot, should be corrected with a soothing language. It should be explained that circumcision is about regulating a section at the tip of the willy, that there is no question of cutting it off completely, that anesthesia will be applied or that it may hurt a little."
CIRCUMCISION SHOULD NOT BE PERFORMED BETWEEN THE AGES OF 3-6
Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mine Elagöz Yüksel stated that circumcision should be avoided especially between the ages of 3-6 and that there are two ideal times for circumcision. Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yüksel said the following:
"Circumcision should be performed regardless of the age of the child if the physician states that it is medically obligatory. In cases where there is no such necessity, there are 2 ideal times to circumcise children. These periods are the newborn period (especially the first 3 weeks) or between the ages of 6-10. Circumcision should be avoided especially between 3-6 years of age. Between 3-6 years of age, the child has castration anxiety, which is the concern that his/her penis will be cut off as a punishment. At the same time, this is a period when body integrity gains importance, fears are intense, and minor injuries can be exaggerated. Again, circumcision is not recommended for children who enter puberty after the age of 10. Circumcisions after the age of 6 are preferred in our society because fun ceremonies and gifts can be useful in reducing the anxiety of the child."
HOW DOES CIRCUMCISION AFFECT CHILDREN?
Stating that circumcision is a procedure recommended by our religion and in terms of health, Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mine Elagöz Yüksel said that as long as the time of circumcision, the way it is explained and the conditions of its performance are appropriate, the negative impact on the child's mental development will decrease. "Circumcision is a fearful attempt for the child, no matter how old he is," Yüksel said, "It has been seen that the idea that newborn babies do not feel pain does not reflect the truth with recent studies. In a number of studies, it has been reported that during circumcision, the heart rate of newborn babies increases above normal and the amount of cortisol released increases. Young children may see circumcision as a procedure that will harm their bodies and may experience symptoms such as nightmares, anger attacks, shame and stuttering after the procedure. The long-term effects of circumcision are not clearly known. However, it is assumed that before the age of two or after the age of six, the child is mentally and physically prepared, and circumcision performed under appropriate conditions does not cause major mental problems."