Symptoms of childhood dementia may include confusion, loss of memory, or the inability to communicate.
The symptoms are progressive, meaning they get worse over time.
Symptoms may progress quickly or slowly depending on the cause.
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This article will provide an overview of childhood dementia, including its symptoms, causes, and treatment options.
It is common for children to lose skills that they previously developed or mastered.
A group of rare genetic conditions causes this brain damage.
NCL causes a substance calledlipofuscinto build up in the brain, leading tobrain damage.
These diseases are genetic and sparked by autosomal recessive traits.
That means both parents must pass on the mutated gene for the child to contract the disease.
Diagnosis
The diseases that cause childhood dementia may be diagnosed at birth or later in childhood.
There is no cure for NCL genetic diseases.
Treatment options may include:
Children with childhood dementia likely require lifelong care.
Therapies in their treatment plan may include:
Prognosis
Childhood dementia is a severe condition.
It cannot be reversed, and most children require constant care and supervision.
The genetic diseases that cause childhood dementia are fatal.
The younger the child is diagnosed, the worse the prognosis usually is.
Coping
Parents and caregivers of children with childhood dementia need support in all areas of their lives.
Asupport groupmay be helpful for learning about resources and connecting with others.
There is no cure for childhood dementia, and the symptoms worsen over time.
Possible symptoms include memory loss, confusion, and the inability to speak.
To diagnose childhood dementia, your healthcare team will focus on diagnosing the underlying disease.
Your child may require a brain imaging test to confirm the diagnosis.
There is no cure for childhood dementia.
While childhood dementia may share many of the same symptoms as adult dementia, the two conditions are different.
A rare genetic disease causes childhood dementia.
Adult dementia has other possible causes.
Children with childhood dementia usually exhibit several signs and symptoms.
Your child may start to lose skills that they had once mastered.
Children with childhood dementia experience memory loss, confusion, and personality changes.
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