The mistake that just keeps on taking | 36 comments (36 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: The mistake that just keeps on taking (4.00 / 4)

Yes, I agree with you, Poemless. Earlier this evening I had a chat with my friend in CZ who's studying medicine, and has just gone through a forensic medicine class. I wanted to see what she thought of these injuries. She said that the elbow dislocation was probably not caused by a fall. It may be that she did harm the child. My friend also suggested that she might have suffered from postpartum psychosis. We all know too well about the case of Andrea Yates and what even apparently completely normal women are able to do.

I know that even innocent-looking people are capable of awful things. After meeting her, though, I have no doubts how very sorry she is for what happened, and that she would do anything she could to take it back.

The father was allegedly at work, so I'm not sure why the accusation stands against him as well. I don't know much about his involvement in the case. I'd find it strange if she were willing to take the blame all upon herself, though, having said that she was alone at home with the children. But again, who knows.

"If you cannot say what you have to say in twenty minutes, you should go away and write a book about it." Lord Brabazon

by Barbara on Fri Jan 11th, 2008 at 03:56:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The mistake that just keeps on taking (none / 1)

Postpartum depression/psychosis are also very possible explanations. Fortunately, it is now very treatable. Unfortunately, you have to admit to it before you can get treatment...

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.

by poemless on Fri Jan 11th, 2008 at 04:00:50 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The mistake that just keeps on taking (none / 1)

The combination of an expected condition with a such a severe disease shocked me, so I had to look it up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postnatal_depression

Postnatal depression (also called postpartum depression and referred throughout this article by the acronym PPD) is a form of clinical depression which can affect women, and less frequently men, after childbirth. Studies report prevalence rates among women from 5% to 25%, but methodological differences among the studies make the actual prevalence rate unclear.[1]

Rates of PPD decreased as income increased...

Postnatal psychosis or PNP, is a mental illness, which involves a complete break with reality.

Only 1 to 2 women per 1,000 births (.1% to .2% of births) develop postnatal psychosis.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Fri Jan 11th, 2008 at 05:56:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The mistake that just keeps on taking (4.00 / 3)

That's interesting. I've known 3 women with postpartum depression, as in, they had to be hospitalized because they were afraid they wanted to hurt their children, and they were all upper-middle class white women. I suppose the distinct difference lies in the irrational desire to hurt your child and the actual doing it. Theoretically, the treatment of the depression could prevent the psychosis...

I'm not a doctor. But I do know that mental health diagnosis is more of an art than a science, and a very crude art at that. Nor would I rely on Wiki or accept concrete numbers when it comes to mental health diagnosis.

That said, I did not intend to suggest all women who suffer from postpartum depression might kill their children, and I'm sorry if I offended you.

"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.

by poemless on Fri Jan 11th, 2008 at 06:14:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The mistake that just keeps on taking (none / 0)

No offense taken. I just wanted to make sure that the extreme reaction was not common because there are enough inaccurate labels applied to women already.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Fri Jan 11th, 2008 at 08:22:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The mistake that just keeps on taking | 36 comments (36 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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