Dear Ellen, I'm pleased to know you are wise enough to seek more information and to avoid becoming a sexual repressor. Whether or not you were abused as a child doesn't matter as long as you now realize that masturbation is a natural and normal activity for children. It's how we learn to like our genitals and discover they are a source of pleasurable feelings. It has been scientifically established that self-stimulation begins in utero via sonograms. It's also generally acknowledged that small children will naturally explore their genitals if left alone. By the time they are four or five years old, a wise parent has usually made it clear that touching themselves feels good but that it's a private activity they can enjoy in their own room. Next time you feel that "discomfort" just take a deep breath, exhale and relax knowing you are witnessing the beginning of what will one day become a healthy adult's sexlife. Betty