When most people think of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, they think of the very old. However, younger adults can develop dementia sometimes. This is known as early-onset dementia. If you are concerned that you may have early-onset dementia or some similar issue, you may be wondering what some of the telltale signs of the condition might be. Get to know some of these early-onset dementia signs as well as what you should do if you notice them in yourself. Then, you can be sure you are doing what is best for your health and well-being. 

Short-Term Memory Issues

One of the earliest signs of dementia is trouble with short-term memory. This is the memory of recent events. For example, if you regularly forget what you had for breakfast or even if you ate breakfast at all, this could be an indication that something is amiss. 

Now, everybody has short-term memory glitches once in a while. So, if you have had one instance of this over several months or years, it is probably not anything to fret about. But when it happens frequently, like regularly forgetting why you are in a particular room or place, you may have a more serious problem. 

Trouble Keeping Up with TV or Movies

If you are watching television or a movie, and you have trouble keeping up with the basic storyline of what you are watching, this might be a sign of dementia. Again, if it happens once in a blue moon, you likely have nothing to worry about. Being exceptionally tired or just distracted can cause this as well. 

However, if you have regular issues with this, even with your favorite programs on TV, you could be showing signs of dementia. Try to jot down a note every time you lose track of a TV program or movie while you are watching. Then, you will be able to see how much it happens and can share that with your care providers. 

Losing Items Regularly

Another potential sign of dementia is that you regularly misplace or lose your items. The item most often misplaced in this case is your keys, but it can also be your phone, the book you were reading, or any other item around your home. 

If you notice that you are losing items frequently, you should probably be assessed for other signs of early-onset dementia. It can relate back to the short-term memory loss previously discussed. 

What to Do

If you notice these signs of dementia in your day-to-day life, you should contact a brain specialist (neurologist) as soon as possible. They are experts in the way the brain works and can best assess whether you may be suffering from early-onset dementia.

The brain specialist will meet with you and discuss your symptoms with you. You will also likely do a number of cognitive thinking and memory tests, as well as potentially getting scans like PET or CT scans done of your brain. All of these things together will help to determine whether you have early-onset dementia and will also help to decide your course of treatment going forward if you do. 

Now that you know more about the signs of early-onset dementia as well as what to do if you notice these signs, you can be sure you go to a brain specialist as soon as possible if these are issues in your life. 

To learn more, contact a resource like North Texas Neuroscience Center PA.

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