Brain Scans

[Tanager]

My daughter (mid twenties) had a brain scan at a residential eating disorder clinic. Apparently this scan shows childhood trauma and abuse.  Is is possible for a brain scan to determine this?   There is so much I could add, but I am hanging on by a thread right now.  Thank you for any information.

Our objective is to better understand the struggles our child faces and to learn the skills to improve our relationship and provide a supportive environment and also improve on our own emotional responses, attitudes and effectiveness as a family leaders

[tvda]

Hi,

if you want to educate yourself on this subject, please order the book 'The Body Keep The Score'. This is the definitive book on the consequences of trauma.

Having read the book, there is no way a brain scan could lead to the diagnosis of childhood neglect or abuse without at least the information gained in additional talk therapy. Possibly there has been talk therapy to back up the brain scans, yielding more information, but a brain scan in itself could not lead to this 'diagnosis'. That's just not the way brain scans work.

Yes, they could point to damage from trauma. But the exact type of trauma? That can not be derived from brain scans alone.

[Tanager]

Thank you for the information and book suggestion.  I will definitely read it.  My daughter had childhood apraxia of speech, which affected not only her speech but her physical coordination.  She still has some processing delays and pronunciation problems, but it isn't apparent in everyday interactions.  We thought this might show up in the brain scan, but the interpretation we were given was childhood abuse. I do know apraxia has its own associated emotional damage.  I am obviously no expert, and I realize the staff isn't either.  Thank you again.

[tvda]

You're welcome. I'll try and look up if apraxia is mentioned in the book.

This book talks about a LOT of changes in the brain due to trauma, and has physical proof to back this up. But to attribute this to child abuse or neglect without further and deeper follow-up feels like jumping to conclusions. Although it is a possibility of course.