In my experience the person suffering from a Demention not only loses short-term memory but also long-term deminishes over time. They go back in time losing the more recent long-term memories until they are in their childhood. I could tell by her eyes and facial expressions she was in her childhood. She had forgotten she was married, forgot she had children and thought I was her Mom, who died almost 80 yrs before.
It does not matter what type of Dementia you have, it has to do with the part of the brain that is effected. In Moms midstage she had forgotten how to use a phone or a remote. It boggles me when members say that a parent can use a cell phone or a computer well into their dementia journey.
All of them. Take your pick.....Alzheimer's, vascular, Lewy Body, Frontal Temporal, just to name the most common amongst the 100's of different dementias.
Dementia and childlike behaviors... Almost any of the dementias can have some aspect of childlike behavior. As the brain is destroyed by the dementia learned behavior is lost. So some of the first things you learn will be the last that you lose. You learn to eat fluids, then pureed then with someone feeding you then you use your fingers then utensils. As the brain is destroyed you stop "knowing how to use utensils, then you use your fingers then you can not chew properly so you have pureed foods and someone is eventually feeing you. As you toilet train you learn first the body cues for urination then bowel movements. As you become incontinent you lose the cues for both and are back in "diapers" (I do dislike that term for adult incontinent products but I use it now)
Depending on what part of the brain is effected the person may lose verbal ability. As the decline continues losing the ability to walk. (kind of think of the movie Benjamin Buttons)
And each person is different. The personality can completely change or remain the same. With my Husband I saw many of the same traits you would see in a child with Autism. (noises that he made, self comforting sounds, chewing on toys like a young child would do, chewing on his fingers if he had nothing else to chew on)
Your profile says your mother has ALZ/dementia and is already living in a NH. Everything about dementia is hard, especially that there is nothing to be done about it. Knowing the exact dementia your Mother has may not be possible, and probably will not make an difference in her treatment.
I agree with cwillie that this question is best posed to her doctor/neurologist. Many dementias result in the similar/same behaviors.
People think of dementia as a problem with memory but it's so much more than that, it could be almost any of them. If your profile is correct and your mother is only 63 no doubt she has had the cause of her decline investigated thoroughly, what have the doctors told you?
It does not matter what type of Dementia you have, it has to do with the part of the brain that is effected. In Moms midstage she had forgotten how to use a phone or a remote. It boggles me when members say that a parent can use a cell phone or a computer well into their dementia journey.
Almost any of the dementias can have some aspect of childlike behavior.
As the brain is destroyed by the dementia learned behavior is lost. So some of the first things you learn will be the last that you lose.
You learn to eat fluids, then pureed then with someone feeding you then you use your fingers then utensils. As the brain is destroyed you stop "knowing how to use utensils, then you use your fingers then you can not chew properly so you have pureed foods and someone is eventually feeing you.
As you toilet train you learn first the body cues for urination then bowel movements. As you become incontinent you lose the cues for both and are back in "diapers" (I do dislike that term for adult incontinent products but I use it now)
Depending on what part of the brain is effected the person may lose verbal ability.
As the decline continues losing the ability to walk.
(kind of think of the movie Benjamin Buttons)
And each person is different. The personality can completely change or remain the same. With my Husband I saw many of the same traits you would see in a child with Autism. (noises that he made, self comforting sounds, chewing on toys like a young child would do, chewing on his fingers if he had nothing else to chew on)
I agree with cwillie that this question is best posed to her doctor/neurologist. Many dementias result in the similar/same behaviors.