Did you know that until 1990, throughout much of the U.S., surgery on babies was routinely performed without anesthesia? It is true that babies don’t remember, in the sense of linear, episodic, narrative memory. But it is not true that they don’t remember at all. So what do they remember?

In this interdisciplinary colloquium, we consider the developmental, neurobiological, and psychological consequences of trauma in infancy, and explore ”what babies remember”—through case presentations of children traumatized before one year of age, and through the scientific study of the effects of pain and trauma in infancy. What do infants experience when they are exposed to overwhelming threat and pain? What do these experiences do to their developing brains, bodies, and senses of self? What is the meaning for the infant? What significance does the answer to these questions have for our treatment of traumatized infants and their families, and what does this mean in terms of our priorities in health care planning on a national level?

Our speakers include renowned clinicians and researchers in pediatric trauma who bring their extraordinary knowledge and experience to this critical subject. In addition to these speakers we will have the privilege of hearing from a survivor of trauma in infancy, a remarkable young woman who will talk about what she remembers, and about her treatment with Dr. Terr.

The goals of this symposium will be: to introduce clinical and scientific information about trauma in infancy; to offer a creative dialogue among experts with different perspectives and areas of expertise related to trauma in infancy; to help participants appreciate the importance of early intervention and its implications for public health planning.