The death of a young dementia patient has saddened people across the UK after news emerged this week.
Andre Yarham, from Norfolk, was thought to be the UK’s youngest dementia patient prior to his passing in December. The 24 year old was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia approximately two years ago after his family noticed changes in his behaviour and personality.
Now Simon Wheeler, Senior Knowledge Officer for Health at Alzheimer’s Society, has highlighted that young people with dementia may have symptoms that don’t immediately appear related to the condition. And they might be more likely to overlook these signs, putting it down to stress or the pressures of daily life.
Speaking to the Express, he said: “Younger people are more likely to develop unusual symptoms we don’t immediately associate with dementia, such as changes in behaviour and personality, or problems with language or vision. People can also have problems with movement, walking, co-ordination or balance.
“Symptoms in younger people are sometimes put down to other factors like stress, depression, difficulties with relationships or work, or the menopause.”
Wheeler explained that while dementia symptoms often start off mild, they gradually intensify over time. These can encompass memory issues, confusion, difficulty with everyday tasks, problems with language, struggling to interpret visual information, and mood and behavioural changes.
Once these symptoms become severe enough to disrupt daily life, it is then classified as dementia. It is estimated that one in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia during their lifetime.
If dementia symptoms begin before the age of 65, this is referred to as young-onset dementia. Nearly 80,000 people in the UK are currently living with this condition.
The expert added: “Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a rarer type of dementia that mostly causes problems with thinking and language, as well as changes in mood.
“Personality and behaviour changes are key indicators. “FTD tends to affect people at a younger age than other types of dementia. Most people are diagnosed before they are 65 years old.”
The symptoms of FTD can vary greatly from person to person, as there are several different forms of FTD. The earliest symptoms can also differ significantly depending on which specific areas of the brain are affected.
Wheeler explained: “The first notable symptoms are either changes to thinking, behaviour and personality, or difficulties with using language. Some people can have both. “Unlike Alzheimer’s disease, the type of dementia most people are familiar with, a person’s memory of recent events tends not to be affected.
“If you’re worried about yourself, or someone close to you, then Alzheimer’s Society’s symptom checklist can help you start a conversation with a GP.”
The Alzheimer’s Society also operates a Dementia Support Line, which can be contacted on 0333 150 3456.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
