[drabb]

We have just completed the adoption of our son and would like to have him circumcised. We are military and could have the proceedure done at the military hospital here in Hawaii but they have a long waiting list. We are number 41 on the list and have a time problem since my husband is retiring from the military in March and we are leaving the island at that time. Our military insurance, Tri-care doesn't cover circumcision after the child leaves the hospital after birth. Has anyone else had a similar situation or been able to get your insurance to cover this procedure. We have two other boys who are circumcised and don't want our new little one to ever feel different from his brothers in such an obvious way. Thanks.

[Bcelli]

A friend adopted her son in San Diego and put him on the waiting list at Balboa for a circ. They transferred to Hawaii and by the time he was 2 1/2 Tripler finally fit him in! I would suggest you go to the patient services office - they're pretty nice folks - and explain your situation regarding impending retirement and see if they can just get him on the schedule. Sometimes even the military is acommodating. You also might call Tricare about the procedure since your son is adopted. We intended to have our Russian son circumcised, changed our minds after we got him home and then about 6 months later had to have it done for medical reasons. Good luck.

[Search Angel]

just curious if you have done research on how emotionally damaging circumcision can be on infants. i would never do it to a boy, especially just so they feel "left out " from their older brothers. heres a link if you are at all interested in what medical doctors are now saying about circumcision..

link

[Stormy]

When we adopted our son at 2 days old his birthmother had him circumcised. The procedure was done wrong and has to be fixed. We took him to a urologist and he said that he would only do the procedure prior to 1 year. He said at 1 year the child begins developing a sense of self and his "private" areas. And after that time it can be traumatic emotionally for the child.

I have two children. My older son has never noticed or commented on the fact that his brothers penis looks unusual (because of the botched circ.). Besides, in our family we have black hair, blond hair, brown hair, blue eyes, hazel eyes, and brown eyes, curley hair, straight hair, and wavy hair, brown skin and creamy skin. We all have things that set ourselves apart in our families. In some everyone looks the same. But when someone looks different they aren't any less a part of the family. And besides, it is a myth that little boys stand around comparing their penises. Children tend to keep their private parts private...and if they don't they have bigger problems than who was uncut.

[Marfrey]

I don't mean to upset the applecart here but I feel compelled to post my opinion.

If "Drabb" has made the decision to have her adopted son circumcised (which it sure sounds like she has) and is asking about experience in getting the insurance company to cover it, well, can we try and stick with her question instead of trying to talk her out of it?

I think the decision to or not-to circumcise a baby boy is a very personal one. I'm confident "Drabb" consulted those she felt needed to be consulted before the decision was made. Just because one disagrees with her decision, well, it's still HER decision. What place is it of someone elses, especially in this arena (message board type of communication), to try and talk her out of it?

Again, I don't mean to be rude. I'm glad "Drabb" posted the question because it made me think about the situation.

Just my opinion and feel free to bash me if you will (please try and be polite about it at least). My preference would be if someone would post something in response to the question of getting insurance to cover the procedure.

<ready for the slings and arrows>
-Marfrey

[debsdone]

Hi Marfrey, Thank-you for saying what I have been thinking. Being a parent calls for personal decisions all the time. It is hard enough. !
Drabb, if the insurance won't cover it now, is it very expensive? , ours was done in the dr's office and really wasn't that costly. Good luck! Debi

[Search Angel]

no upesetting here...

i just think a parent should look into what they are doing, cause as you said, its the parents choice....i beg to differ, its not the parents body, its the childs.
i don't agree with circumcision, and this being a public board, i do have a right to voice my opinion. if you go to the website i posted above, you will see, how many doctors are uniting around the world, to speak out about how damaging circumcision is. So if someone is considering it, i won't just sit back and let everyone parade an invasive procedure like circumcision. I will say something like i did. i'm sorry it ticked you off, and you felt threatened by my post, and had to call me the "applecart".
but many things go wrong in circumcision procedures, and its uneccesary.
and i just wanted to voice, that maybe they should look into how damaging it can be, and how unecessary it is.

if a woman posted about wanting to tatoo her new baby, wouldn't you post something to her about your opinion on that? and how rude that is to do to a child? i would. its not right, it scars the person for life, when they have no say, just as circumcision does.

so again, sorry i offended you.
but it is my opinion, and i do think i'm entitled to that.

Kali

[Marfrey]

Kali, sweetheart, I certainly do not feel "threatened" by your post but I guess posting MY opinion didn't make your day. That happens. And I didn't call YOU the applecart. Apparently you've never heard the expression "upset the applecart" before and took the phrase to be directed specifically to you. It surely was not. It's an expression, not a name for someone.

I definitely believe people are entitled to their opinion. Opinions are like, well, you know, and everyone's got one. That's fine. People certainly don't have to agree. The original poster was asking a specific question and that question was about insurance.

[jenna202]

Has it occurred to anyone that the circumcision may be performed for religious reasons? As a parent, I see no need to circumcise a child for sanitary reasons: he should be taught how to care for himself, and helped until he can do that. But as a Jew, it is my right to circumcise my child the way my ancestors have done for generations. It may have begun as a hygenic precaution back then, but it now has a very deep religious ceremonial significance. According to the Laws, it is to be done LONG before the child is one year old. But it can be done at any time.

Of course, this is a place to exchange information, so alternative opinions should be shared, as long as they do not demean or demonize. I do not think anything negative was meant by the postings until one poster took it personally. And yes, 'upset the applecart' is a saying meaning somthing akin to "rock the boat". It does not refer to an individual.

But do bear in mind that some of the so-called "research" around the harmful effects of circumcision is not supported by many mainstream medical associations/professionals. There is some solid research out there around the subject, but there is also some garbage, so be discriminating as to what you take to heart.

[Rausd]

I had my son circ. after I adopted him. He was 3 1/2 years old (last April) when it was done. Insurance covered it. Most insurance companies covers this process for adopted kids. (there maybe an age limit you will have to ask) He healed up fast and did not have any problems. The doctor did a great job.