How can scientists (psychologists, psychiatrists, neuroscientists) assert the difference between an infant-born neurological disorder (such as brain activity/dispositions that highly correlate to psychopathy, callous-unemotional traits, traits affiliated with any other personality disorder, traits affiliated with PTSD, etc.) and neurological injuries stemming from early childhood trauma during infancy? Were such infant-born neurological deficits actually hereditary, or could intergenerational traumas be the source of neurological injuries post infant trauma?

Were the studies on infants conducted right at birth, or were they conducted sometime thereafter (say, at 6 months), when that time span could have included unsubstantiated maltreatment and/or unsubstantiated non-maltreatment trauma during infancy? You cannot ask an infant such questions, and third-party questions may be biased, so as to avoid child welfare system involvement or other punitive consequences that stem from disclosing early childhood traumas.

How can scientists assert the same in retrospective studies on adults, whom they presume to have a "dispositional character flaw" that they were born with, as opposed to early childhood trauma during infancy that affected infants' brain development, not the other way around?

These are the questions that should be asked, especially in terms of prevention (of course, with the proper lexicon for such terms that I've described).

[Aviza]

I was electrocuted in utero. My mom was vacuuming the car, washing it. Water mixed with vacuum, electric shock. I turned breech.

My son also had an in utero issue that damaged his brain. I was forced to be tested for body fat, they put electrodes on me. In school, university. I told them I was pregnant. They made me sign a waiver but damaged my son's brain. I tried saying no they threatened me.

Originally Posted by Aviza

I was electrocuted in utero. My mom was vacuuming the car, washing it. Water mixed with vacuum, electric shock. I turned breech.

My son also had an in utero issue that damaged his brain. I was forced to be tested for body fat, they put electrodes on me. In school, university. I told them I was pregnant. They made me sign a waiver but damaged my son's brain. I tried saying no they threatened me.

@Aviza (((safe hugs))) I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you (and your mom). And I'm sorry that your "no" was followed by threats.

[WishfulThinker66]

I am not sure how. It is interesting though. Before I moved, my last psychiatrist specialized in mental health issues concerning those afflicted with neurological conditions (congenital or traumatic injury). I am interested in the co-relation too between mental health problems and brain injuries caused by outside influence (for example, FAS).

[Fuzzybear]

Good post. Thanks for sharing this

[Lilly2]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

Good post. Thanks for sharing this

Thank you Fuzzybear! I created it when I was lillib. I am not sure where I was going with this post, lol, but the question crossed my mind at the time.

[Mendingmysoul]

Interesting topic.My memories of trauma and abuse go as far back as age 4.But I am sure it started in infancy.The rage of my abuser was so intense ,now I started to think,she has some kind of mental illness that went undiagnosed.My nonabuser went along with her and pretended everything was normal.He must be protecting himself.I do not know what trauma I went through before age 4.

[Lilly2]

I am so sorry to hear that, Mendingmysoul.

I had early childhood trauma, too. I can only remember fragments.

You have been through so much, give what I have read on your threads. I am so sorry you went through all that. (((safe hugs)))

[Mendingmysoul]

I am so sorry lilly

[Lilly2]

Originally Posted by Mendingmysoul

I am so sorry lilly

[Seafarer]

I was in my 40s before I learned that my "mental" condition is caused by central nervous system dysautonomia. I used to think it was all my fault and if I would just do better I would do better. I thought it was just a matter of discipline.

Finally, when I was 40-something, I got an accurate diagnosis, but it was another 20 years before I found out about SSRIs, which help somewhat. I wish I'd known ages ago that I have a real disability. But back when I was a kid it wasn't OK to be not OK.

I think I'd have been a lot happier if I hadn't been trying so hard all the time to fit in and just be OK and never fully succeeding. I've told a few people I thought I should deserve an Oscar for acting -- I was half joking, but I was seriously trying to be what I wasn't almost all the time.

And I think it was exacerbated by at least one head injury after I was grown.

[Fuzzybear]