While sitting in class learning about children, we started talking about something that related to Charlie and his early onset. The books I have read talk about long term and short term memory and how Alzheimer's takes over them. What they don't talk about is the 'working memory' which is remembering what you are doing at that very moment that you are doing it. For example when you walk into a room and forget why you went in there.
While talking in terms of children with learning disabilities, my teacher gave of an example of what this would look like when doing a math problem. When given the problem (4+5)x 2 the child will look at 4+5 and then figure out 4+5=9. Well by the time they get to the x2 part they forget all about the 9. Hearing this I instantly thought about Charlie. If mama asks him to take a basket to the basement he can remember that he has to go to the basement by he doesn't know why. Or vice versa he picks up the basket and doesn't know where to go. Before I thought that his short term memory is pretty bad and although it is getting that way, I think what is actually happening is that his working memory is fading fast.
On top of that, Charlie has a very difficult time focusing on anything. Mama will try to talk to him or get him to look at her and its such a big effort. Getting him to focus on anything is a big ordeal. It doesn't help that he is half deaf either. A lot of the time he will sit in front of the t.v. but he isn't actually watching it. I tried to pay attention to see if he was watching the musical we saw yesterday but it was hard to tell. I didn't really hear him laughing or show any sign that he was paying attention but then again he doesn't have much reaction to a lot of thing so I couldn't really tell.
Thats all I got for now.
Kels
He seems to laugh at things he recognizes, like the old Seinfeld he and mom are watching right now. I thing the working memory thing is interesting...don't remember learning about that (no pun or joke intended).
ReplyDeleteI know that you dont know me, but I am a friend of your uncle tims and remember your mom while growing up too...Anyway...My wife works at Indiana Veterans Home and deals with a lot of patients who suffer from Alzheimers...I know she has told me what drugs seem to be the most effective in this day and age. Not sure what kind of meds his doctor has him on at this time, but it would be worth checking into.. But they often give them Donepezil in conjunction with Memantine (a newer agent for Alzheimers) which has shown to improve the areas of cognition, functioning & also behavior...Not a doctor, but with this type of disease...speed is of the essence...Take care..God bless...and my wife and I will keep all of you in our prayers...Roger "Howdy" Homeier
ReplyDelete