Dementia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with your daily life. It isn’t a specific disease, but several diseases can cause dementia but In essence, dementia is caused by damage to the nerve cells in your brain. As it is known, the age range of people with dementia are normally people under the age range from 50’s and upwards but there are also youths battling with dementia at younger age and like all people with dementia, younger people may experience a wide range of symptoms, especially in the early stages of dementia.
Early Signs of Dementia
Subtle short-term memory changes: According to an article by Health Line published on the 22nd of December, 2021, Having trouble with memory can be an early symptom of dementia. The changes are often subtle and tend to involve short-term memory. A person with dementia may be able to remember events that took place years ago, but not what they had for breakfast. A person with dementia may also display other changes in their short-term memory, such as:
- forgetting where they placed items
- struggling to remember why they entered a particular room
- forgetting what they were supposed to do on any given day
Difficulty finding the right words: Another early symptom of dementia is difficulty with communicating thoughts. A person with dementia may have a hard time explaining something or finding the right words to express themselves. They may also stop in the middle of a sentence and not know how to continue. Having a conversation with a person who has dementia can be challenging, and it may take longer than usual for them to express their thoughts or feelings.
Confusion: Someone in the early stages of dementia may often become confused. They may have trouble remembering faces, knowing what day or month it is, or figuring out where they are. Confusion can occur for a number of reasons and apply to different situations. For example, they may misplace their car keys, forget what comes next in the day, or have difficulty remembering someone they recently met.
Changes in mood: According to an article by Alzheimer’s Association, A change in mood is also common with dementia. If you have dementia, it may not be easy to recognize this in yourself, but you may notice this change in someone else. Depression, for instance, is common in the early stages of dementia. Along with mood changes, you might also notice a shift in personality. One typical type of personality change seen with dementia is a shift from being shy or quiet to being outgoing or they could get easily upset if their usual daily routine is changed, or if they find themselves in unfamiliar situations.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a number of dementia symptoms that aren’t improving or are getting worse, talk with a doctor. Your doctor or healthcare professional will likely refer you to a neurologist who would examine you or your loved one’s physical and mental health and determine whether the symptoms are caused by dementia or some other cognitive issue.
