Dementia in children: symptoms that you need to know about

This article describes the symptoms of dementia in children that every parent should know about. In case of their appearance, you must immediately consult a doctor.

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Do your child have problems remembering simple everyday things? Can a daughter or son sometimes communicate effectively? Does the child have problems recognizing family members? Even if it seems to you that this behavior may indicate simply personality characteristics, these symptoms can indicate something much more serious. This article describes the symptoms of dementia in children. Such dementia is dangerous, and if it is not recognized at the time, the child will develop poorly, he will not be able to think and reason normally. Read further.

What is dementia and dementia in children: definition

Dementia in children, or dementia, is a common term for a number of conditions that cause a gradual decrease in cognitive abilities. Simply put, this is a loss of mental abilities that makes a person unable to perform everyday actions. This worsens the memory and the ability to think, reason and plan. The effect of dementia worsens over time.

For some babies, symptoms remain unchanged for many years.
For others, the loss of skills occurs very quickly.
Not everyone suffers from dementia, but the chances of getting this disease increase with age.
People with dementia cannot take care of themselves in the later stages of the disease, so they need help.

The damage caused by dementia is not only limited to the patient, but also causes great damage to the family and friends. Some types of dementia include:

Alzheimer's disease
Vascular dementia
Dementia with Levy Taurus
Mixed dementia
Parkinson's disease
Lobid-seek dementia
Kreitzfeldt-Jacob disease
Hydrocephaly
Huntington disease
Vernika-Korsakov Syndrome

There are many reasons causing such a pathology. Read more about them.

Dementia in children: causes

There are various states of health and disorders that can cause dementia in children. Various types of genetic diseases, head injuries and infections can negatively affect the brain of the child. The following are some of the reasons:

Poisoning with heavy metals:

The chronic effect of heavy metals, such as lead, can cause symptoms of dementia in children.
These toxic substances are present everywhere, including food and air.
The adverse consequences of poisoning with heavy metals are more common in children and can lead to problems only in adulthood.

Hypothyroidism:

Such a pathology in children is caused by insufficient thyroid activity, which is not able to satisfy the body's needs for thyroxine hormones.
There are two types of hypothyroidism, which include congenital and acquired.
Congenital hypothyroidism is present in infancy, while the acquired develops later - in childhood.

Encephalitis:

This is inflammation of the brain caused by a viral infection.
Children under the age of a year have a higher risk of developing this pathology.
In addition, this infection is more common in areas with a large population of ticks and mosquitoes.

Batten disease:

This is a form of neuroidal lipofuscinosis, which affects children.
Batten disease is a hereditary disease caused by a defective genome that leads to the accumulation of lipofuscin in the brain.
Symptoms usually appear at the age 5 to 10 years old With the advent of vision problems.

Nimann-Pika disease:

It is a rare hereditary neurodegenerative disease that leads to progressive dementia among children.
The disease causes excessive accumulation of cholesterol and g. Glicosfingholipides in the brain.

Lafor disease:

This is a neurodegenerative disease that is inherited by an autosomal recessive type.
The disease is characterized by the appearance of epileptic seizures that worsen over time.

Children suffering from Lafor's disease experience a decrease in cognitive abilities, and, ultimately, fall ill with dementia.

Symptoms of dementia, as a form of mental retardation in children

Most disorders causing dementia in children are rare and incurable. It is extremely important to determine the symptoms at an early stage so that the child is provided with proper medical care and support. Indicators of children's dementia, as a form of mental retardation in children, differ individually, depending on the type and cause of dementia. However, there are some general symptoms that you need to know:

Memory loss:

One of the most common symptoms of dementia in children is memory loss.
However, if the child forgets about things more often or asks the same questions several times, this may be a sign of dementia.
One loss of memory does not mean that the child has dementia.
To make a complete diagnosis, doctors seek at least two disorders of cognitive functions that are present without loss of consciousness.

Language problems:

In children suffering from dementia, problems may arise with the compilation of words, as well as with pronounced and susceptible language skills in general.
You may notice deviations in verbal and non -verbal communication.

Loss of intellectual skills:

Children suffering from dementia can show a lack of ability to solve problems.
Since the symptoms of dementia, as a rule, are progressive in nature, over time, a violation of the intellectual function is gradually deteriorating.
This can lead to the inability to study new things.

The child cannot study normally, remember, communicate with adults. Also, a personality change occurs. Read further.

Personality changes: how does the development of attention under dementia in children?

Development of attention with dementia in children

Most children with dementia are subjected to behavioral changes in personality during the disease, including:

Mood swings and lack of emotional control
Display of anxiety and anger
Confusion against people and places
Frequent screams and panic
Lack of personal hygiene
Clumsiness

The development of attention with dementia in children is weak. The child is constantly capricious and even arranges tantrums. It cannot say who his grandparents or other relatives are definitely.

Important: At the first manifestation of dementia, you must consult a children's doctor. He will make a preliminary diagnosis and direct to a profile specialist.

It is extremely important for parents to develop an effective support structure for the treatment of dementia in children. A detailed understanding of the symptoms and the reduction or elimination of triggers can help in managing behavioral problems associated with dementia. But only a doctor should do all the instructions.