Memory lapses are often the symptom people associate with dementia, but changes in movement, balance, language, mood and everyday function can also signal that a medical evaluation is needed.
HuffPost interviewed clinicians about physical symptoms that may accompany cognitive decline, including changes in gait or balance, difficulty coordinating familiar tasks, altered facial expression, sleep disruption and loss of strength. These signs are not diagnostic by themselves and can have many other causes, including medication effects, depression, stroke or problems with vision and hearing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says dementia is not a normal part of aging. Warning signs include problems remembering, thinking clearly or making daily decisions that interfere with usual activities. The National Institute on Aging notes that clinicians may evaluate memory, problem-solving, language, balance, sensory responses and reflexes when investigating symptoms.
Families should focus on change from a person’s previous baseline rather than a single forgotten name or occasional stumble. Keep a brief record of when symptoms began, how often they occur and whether medications, illness or sleep changes coincide with them. A primary-care visit can identify reversible problems and determine whether a specialist or further testing is appropriate.
Seek emergency help for sudden confusion, facial drooping, one-sided weakness, trouble speaking or a severe new balance problem, because those may be signs of stroke. For gradual changes, arrange a routine medical appointment and include the person experiencing them in the conversation whenever possible.
This original report is based on HuffPost, the CDC and the National Institute on Aging. It is educational information, not a diagnosis.
