I trust my memory of certain things as far back as a few vaguities before age 2 years, and I’ve read other people’s reports, and I conclude that, while children do self-stimulate, it’s typically (but not always) less pleasurable than it is after puberty.
I haven’t read any neurological studies addressing that hypothesis in particular, but of course they could exist and I could be unaware of them.
Hmm, good point—I don’t actually know anything about the topic. Sounds like actual orgasm is impossible without puberty (although note it’s possible way before adulthood.) Still, pleasure is pleasure. Kids wouldn’t enjoy it as much as adults, but some of the adaptations are clearly present—enough for sex to be pleasurable, if not as pleasurable.
Mind you, I personally wouldn’t want to change that particular norm without a great deal of thought and investigation by actual experts. But this particular claim seems to be flawed.
I’ve encountered anecdotes claiming that a form of prepubescent orgasm is possible, if difficult to achieve (especially since most wouldn’t know to aim for it). I’m less convinced of that, but I remember someone actually providing a citation for “utero orgasms in both sexes” (which I assumed to mean while still in the womb).
An aside: I catch myself committing the mind projection fallacy most often when I come across comments that make it very clear people have purged large chunks of childhood from their memory/identity. It takes me a second or so to remember that this makes sense for most people. This has had a weird effect regarding the subject at hand: I’m surprised when I run into adult males talking like they don’t believe boys can get erections, then I’m skeptical when someone else reports that prepubescent males can have orgasms. Noticing the pattern there has me updating in favor of prepubescent orgasm being possible, if difficult.
I trust my memory of certain things as far back as a few vaguities before age 2 years, and I’ve read other people’s reports, and I conclude that, while children do self-stimulate, it’s typically (but not always) less pleasurable than it is after puberty.
I haven’t read any neurological studies addressing that hypothesis in particular, but of course they could exist and I could be unaware of them.
Hmm, good point—I don’t actually know anything about the topic. Sounds like actual orgasm is impossible without puberty (although note it’s possible way before adulthood.) Still, pleasure is pleasure. Kids wouldn’t enjoy it as much as adults, but some of the adaptations are clearly present—enough for sex to be pleasurable, if not as pleasurable.
Mind you, I personally wouldn’t want to change that particular norm without a great deal of thought and investigation by actual experts. But this particular claim seems to be flawed.
I’ve encountered anecdotes claiming that a form of prepubescent orgasm is possible, if difficult to achieve (especially since most wouldn’t know to aim for it). I’m less convinced of that, but I remember someone actually providing a citation for “utero orgasms in both sexes” (which I assumed to mean while still in the womb).
An aside: I catch myself committing the mind projection fallacy most often when I come across comments that make it very clear people have purged large chunks of childhood from their memory/identity. It takes me a second or so to remember that this makes sense for most people. This has had a weird effect regarding the subject at hand: I’m surprised when I run into adult males talking like they don’t believe boys can get erections, then I’m skeptical when someone else reports that prepubescent males can have orgasms. Noticing the pattern there has me updating in favor of prepubescent orgasm being possible, if difficult.