to think she can't smell and it's my grandad's fault

[GrumpyMcGrumpyFace]

DD (7) has always said that she can't smell. To be honest I've never really thought much about it thinking that it was a developmental thing and she would start to recognise smells as she got older. Only she hasn't. When ever I ask if she can smell a strong smell, her answer is no and there is no reaction from her. She never comments on smells. Last time we went to see the GP I mentioned it to him. He kind of laughed it off saying that she must be able to as if she wasn't able to smell she wouldn't be able to taste and she does taste different things.

I always knew that my mum couldn't smell and thought it was because of an accident that she had when she was a girl. However, I found out today that my granddad couldn't smell either. He received a facial injury in WW2 that left him partially sighted and without a sense of smell.

So, AIBU to think that there has been an intergenerational transmission of trauma which has meant that my daughter isn't able to smell or has a very poor sense of smell?

and

AIBU not to do anything about it because it doesn't have any affect on her life in anyway, although it would be good to know for future reference.

[KimmySchmidtsSmile]

In fairness, quite a few people have posted links which make fascinating reading both in terms of how to deal with having no sense of smell to the idea of trauma being passed on.
You are correct to have it further investigated if you think she has a severe deficit. You are incorrect to think it is not important enough to research because a severe deficit would put your DD in potentially hazardous situations from eating food that has already turned to inhaling fumes others wouldn't.

www.theguardian.com/society/2004/jul/20/health.lifeandhealth1

[bestcatintheworld]

Oh, and just to add - I have a science background so more reason to be sceptical than (I assume) people who call you a loon here. Still don't think you're an idiot, but some people are in dire need of manners

[Pollaidh]

Grumpy you are not an idiot. It's not a bad guess given you've probably heard things about epigenetics in the press, it's just that the reality is rather more complicated than ever gets reported in mainstream press or even magazines like New Scientist, but as you're presumably not a biologist you couldn't be expected to know.

I think you should definitely get it checked out though, which is the most important thing here.

[GrumpyMcGrumpyFace]

You are correct to have it further investigated if you think she has a severe deficit
How do I know if she has a severe deficit? I have no idea if she is completely unable to smell, has a poor sense of smell or is just unable to describe in words what she smells.

and thank you cat and to those who have posted helpful links and explanations

[UhtredRagnorsson]

DD1 and DS are anosmic. My dad was anosmic too. DD2 and I are the opposite - we are super sensers (for smell and taste). Both issues have their drawbacks with very few positives to be honest. DS has a limited sense of taste. DD1 can only distinguish sweet sour and the other one (umami?). That's it. And even then it's likely that the way she experiences them are not the way 'normal' people do. Mind you the way I experience them is not the way normal people do either so...

[Ilovetorrentialrain]

I'm shocked at some of the rude responses on here! Why?

OP this '...we went to see the GP I mentioned it to him. He kind of laughed it off...' is not acceptable at all! Whatever the cause it's worth investigating - even of just to give your daughter a proper explanation of the condition when the subject crops up.

I'm absolutely baffled at the rude replies you've had. You were only offering a suggestion (presumably as a non medical / scientific person like the majority of us on here will be) and giving some background.

[shinynewusername]

OP, ask to see a paediatrician because you need confirmation that this is congenital anosmia (caused by a gene she was born with) and definitely not acquired anosmia (loss of a sense of smell that she used to have). Acquired anosmia can be linked to some illnesses so should be ruled out to be absolutely on the safe side. But I'd put good money on this being congenital so don't worry

[DoJo]

I hardly had any sense of smell, but have quite an acute sense of taste, but when I had my first child, one of the only symptoms I had was an improved sense of smell, and since my second child I can tell what my husband has eaten thrughout the day and smell things he has had in his pocket from leaning on his shirt.
Not that that helps, as I'm sure you don't want your daughter to resolve her problem with a pregnancy, but you can definitely have almost no sense of smell but still taste things so I would take her back to the GP and ask for further investigation.

[myownprivateidaho]

I love that all the smug posters hae never heard of epigenetics. Anyway, I would push for a referral to a specialist op, it seems worth investigating.

[Pythonesque]

If you haven't already seen it, I was also going to post the link to the BBC radio programme on anosmia. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b076cg3n

You might like to listen to it and jot down thoughts before you go back to your GP, might help you ask the right questions. I think you'll find plenty of stuff on it that resonates with your situation.

[shinynewusername]

Strictly speaking, this is not epigenetics (genes switching on and off) but variable penetrance (gene is always 'on' but affects some people more than others).

[grumpysquash3]

OK, I do believe 'intergenerational transmission of trauma' is possible and maybe even common. Epigenetics is such an emerging science, it hasn't poked its head out yet.

I did my PhD in epigenetics in the 90's, so I wouldn't say epigenetics is an emerging science.

It is far more likely that the mum and the grandad always had poor or no sense of smell, but didn't really notice and/or comment on it until later, when other people might have said it was due to the accident.
The chance of hereditary (inherited) loss of smell are far greater than the chances of two people in the same family independently losing their sense of smell due to random accidents.

Transmission of trauma is not a thing in physiology (although might be in other fields such as mental health).

[BoatyMcBoat]

Do you ascribe to Lamarck's theory of inheritance then? He's the guy who thought that if you lost a leg then any child you had subsequently would only have one leg too. I guess it didn't take long to find out whether he was right.

Have her checked out. I doubt they have a treatment but it's best to be aware of it.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

Do listen to the R4 programme linked to by a couple of posters above. It really was very interesting and the presenter had trouble convincing her mother of it when she was little iirc.

[GrumpyMcGrumpyFace]

Thanks for the link to the radio programme. Someone did post it earlier. I've had a listen. Very interesting.

Thanks to those who have shared their stories about losing their sense of smell or who were born without it.

[GinBunny]

As an aside for the reasons behind it (I agree that it's likely genetic that was noticed after trauma) - I have poor sense of smell and taste. I only realised recently how bad it was when I was given something to eat and I didn't know what it was and I couldn't identify it - usually I cook so I know what I am eating so I know what it tastes like, almost as if I am remembering. I wouldn't go as far as to say it has made me depressed, as in some of the articles, but it's not great and I have a tendency to over eat to get some satisfaction from food. For that reason alone I would go back to your GP, or perhaps get a second opinion.

[Verbena37]

I would ask your GP for a referral to an ENT specialist.
My friend can only smell good smells and not bad smells. It's really strange but she doesn't mind. She can taste though. Not that her problem is relevant.
But I do think you should get it checked out because sense of smell and taste is important.

[whois]

Isn't it more likely to be a genetic factor that family members have mistakenly linked to traumatic events?

^this

[PaulAnkaTheDog]

I love that all the smug posters hae never heard of epigenetics

Well that's not true at all is it? Also, anyone who has a basic understanding of epigenetics wouldn't defend this post as an example of it.

[grumpysquash3]

Epigenetics is a thing - there is a theory that trauma can change people's genes in some way and that the trauma can in some ways be "passed on" to the next generation. It's being investigated by world-renowned scientists, so it's not a completely ridiculous concept hmm

Epigenetics is definitely a thing, but it isn't a random thing that just alters genes. It actually doesn't alter the DNA (the genes themselves) but marks them in a very complex way to modulate their expression.

Inheritance is via the germ cells (eggs and sperm). If you have trauma to the nose which affects your sense of smell, this is absolutely not magically transmitted to your sperm

[myownprivateidaho]

It's quite obvious that most of the posts on the first page (did not rtft!) were laughing at the suggestion that experiences could shape what was inherited. I'm not convinced that there is such thing as a 'basic understanding of epigenetics' since it's such an emerging and contested field. But while I would agree that if doesn't seem the likeliest explanation for the op's situation, it's not prima facie impossible that trauma could affect the sperm produced...

[IndridCold]

There was a really interesting radio program about this a few weeks ago.
Link here.

There are cases where the condition can be helped, but some cases are irreversible.

[hippoinamudhole]

Why are people being so derogatory towards the OP? There's a whole thread about people believing things that aren't true and they're not being laughed at