A recent report by pediatric experts at the Royal Australasian College of Physicians changes its official stance on ‘unnecessary’ circumcision for boys, acknowledging that it does have medical benefits, such as protection against urinary tract infections in infants, HIV transmission and penile cancer. But it recommends against universal circumcision for newborn & infant boys, and hedges its bets by suggesting the procedure may be delayed until a child is old enough (unspecified!) to make an ‘informed choice’. However later operations are riskier, often under general anaesthetic and more costly. Circumcision rates have fallen from 90% in 1950s to 10% now.
Meanwhile evidence is growing that significant engagement with video games, social networking and TV promotes infantile brains. A gamer’s world is filled with violence without empathy and behaviour without consequences. If these qualities are learned and transferred to the real world, the risk of these brains agreeing to late circumcision or even self-mutliation must be considered, so that cock-ups can be avoided.
KOOKYNIE COURIER 