Changes

The [[foreskin]] is protective of the glans penis in childhood.<ref>{{GairdnerDM 1949}}</ref> [[Robert S. Van Howe |Van Howe]] (1997) reported data collected in his pediatric practice on 468 boys up to 18 years of age. Among boys less than three years of age, circumcised boys were significantly more likely to have a reddened meatus or balanitis.<ref>{{REFjournal

|author-link=Robert S. Van Howe

}}</ref> Although it is commonly believed that the human [[foreskin]] is the source of infection so must be constantly washed to prevent infection, that is not true. [[Paul M. Fleiss|Fleiss]], Hodges & [[Robert S. Van Howe|Van Howe ]] (1998) reported the foreskin has both protective and immunological functions that help to prevent disease.<ref name="Fleiss1997">{{REFjournal