How does circumcision, which has an important place in the lives of boys, affect the psychology of the child? According to experts who recommend circumcision to be performed as soon as the child is born, it is recommended that circumcision should not be performed between the ages of 3-6 in order not to harm personality development and not to cause psychological trauma. It is necessary to tell the child that circumcision is a necessity for health.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Specialist Clinical Psychologist Leyla Arslan made important evaluations on the psychology of circumcision.
The view of circumcision varies according to families
Stating that perhaps the most tension-creating issue among the issues that occupy the minds of families with boys is the time to circumcise their children and whether circumcision is necessary or not, Specialist Clinical Psychologist Leyla Arslan said, "Many parents who do not believe that it is internally necessary think to end this work quietly and without exaggeration so that their child will not have problems in peer interaction. They cannot afford to ignore the thousands of years of tradition rooted in the society and solve the situation by telling their child as a simple operation."
After the age of 7, celebrations are remembered
Stating that a group of families attribute some exaggerated emotions to this traditional situation, Specialist Clinical Psychologist Leyla Arslan said, "Being a man, fulfilling the requirements of religion, organizing a big party as an irresistible attraction of being a male parent, or reading mevlüt and having a feast as a requirement of faith. In my opinion, the greater the expectation and the emotion attributed, the more effective the event is on the child. Therefore, we can think that it is more appropriate to do this action when the child's personality development will be affected the least. After the age of 7, even if this situation is remembered by the child as tension-creating, it is remembered with the positive effect of the celebrations. Before the age of two, it produces a more desired result. It is never remembered."
Circumcision can be recommended at birth
Stating that when there is uncertainty about the purpose of the behavior, it will be difficult to explain how to explain the situation to the child, Specialist Clinical Psychologist Leyla Arslan said, "For this reason, the way to overcome this action, which most families have to do even if they do not want to do it, in the most harmless and easy way, is as soon as it is born."
It is recommended not to be done between the ages of 3-6
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Leyla Arslan listed her recommendations on circumcision as follows:
1. Although circumcision can be performed at any age, it is recommended not to be performed between the ages of 3-6, and newborn babies are the most suitable candidates for circumcision because it does not harm personality development and does not cause psychological trauma.
2. When explaining circumcision to the child, age should be taken into consideration. Many children say that they are scared because they think that their willy will be cut off completely. Therefore, the word "cutting" should not be used, it should be explained that it is a necessary condition for his health and where and when it will take place, how much the pain will be should be explained without exaggeration and the child should be reassured.
3. Failure to give information about circumcision, or excitement by giving wrong information, or being frightened by the child's friends will make the child anxious.
Tension and crying may be seen
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Leyla Arslan stated that regression behaviors related to circumcision such as nervousness and crying, bedwetting, having fearful dreams, wanting to run away from home, going up and down trees, sucking fingers, and hiding somewhere to avoid being found can be seen at a young age.
Families should heed these warnings
Specialist Clinical Psychologist Leyla Arslan listed her suggestions for families as follows:
"It is necessary to decide on the date of circumcision together with the child, but not to keep the process long.
The child should be made to feel comfortable and allowed to cooperate with you. "We will go to the doctor with you. The doctor will clean the tip of your willy with cotton, even if you feel a little pain, it will pass quickly, and then we can celebrate if you want".
It should be tried to get the child to talk about his/her feelings and fears, to learn the extent of them, and to prevent him/her from exaggerating his/her feelings of pain as much as possible.
One should not reject the child's feelings by saying "What is there to be afraid of!". The child feels that he/she is not understood and talking about circumcision too often increases his/her tension.
Parents should also be calm and not be overly anxious.
Some children want their friends, some children want a ceremony.
The child should not be treated like a patient.
Make sure that the child returns to daily life early after circumcision.
Do not give information to people he does not want and do not invite them to the ceremony.
Never joke about the penis.
If it is necessary to circumcise between the ages of 3-6, care should be taken to act in a more sensitive and non-traumatizing way."
