Delirium and dementia - Essay Example

Delirium and Dementia Differences between delirium and dementia Both delirium and dementia represent a condition of memory lose and confusion in older adults. However, there are some considerable differences between their symptoms. The symptoms of Dementia are usually progressive whereas delirium takes place quickly portraying sudden changes in the person. A delirious person rapidly loses consciousness, have impaired attention, hallucinations, sleep disturbance, and their speech is usually slow and incoherent.

The onset of delirium is acute and therefore people with delirium require urgent medical attention. On the other hand, however, the onset of dementia is chronic and continues to grow with time. People with dementia are always alert; they have normal sleep-wake cycles, normal attention, and do not hallucinate. However, they have difficulty in their speech (Pathy, et al., 2012).Differences in dementia from Alzheimers disease, HIV-1 infection, and vascular causesDementia is the loss of memory, thinking, and reasoning.

It occurs when various parts o the brain that carry out the functions of decision-making, learning, language and memory are affected or infected. Alzheimers disease, HIV-1 infection, and vascular are all types and causes of dementia. Alzheimers disease occurs when two types of brain cell (neuron) are damaged. This interferes with cognitive abilities of a person, which finally affects parts of the brain that control movement, language, memory, behavior, judgment, theoretical thinking and language.

Vascular causes are due to of damaged brain. This occurs due to experienced problems associated with the arteries serving the brain or heart. On the other hand, HIV-1 infection destroys the brain matter, leading to loss of concentration, apathy, memory lose and social problems. Moreover, HIV-1 infection often leads to movement problems (Mayoclinic.com, 1998). Differences between the symptoms of mild and profound mental retardationIn mild mental retardation, the symptoms are often not noticed until the child gets into school.

Children with mild mental retardation are not social and always experience learning problems in school. These children go to school until they reach a particular level, most probably up to grade 6, from which it becomes almost impossible to continue with education. However, between this age and adulthood, the child is in a position of acquiring enough job and life skills to cater for his future life. On the other hand, the symptoms of profound mental retardation are observed when the child is still an infant.

During this period, there is no coordination in the infant’s muscles and hence impossible for the child to reach developmental stages in growth. These developmental stages include, sitting up, crawling, talking and walking among others. Unlike in mild mental retardation, a child with profound mental retardation requires constant care, protection and control in his entire life (Buzzle.com, 2000).Enuresis, encopresis, sleepwalking, and tics disordersAccording to Williams & Wilkins (2008), enuresis is the act of involuntary or intentional avoiding of urine by children above five years.

This usually happens during the night. It is more common in boys than in girls and is usually caused by stress such as divorce, new home and the birth of a sibling. It results to social problems, anger, rejection and low self-esteem. Sleep walking on the other hand occurs when a child wakes up at night and starts walking around due to altered consciousness. It is usually caused by emotional anxiety. In turn, the child develops fear and may not accept to be left alone. Encopresis is a condition associated with developmental symptoms such as cerebral dysfunction, language lag and low intelligence.

Children affected develop problems such as loss of self-esteem and poor social relationships.Tic disorders include chronic motor or vocal tic disorder, transient tic disorder and Tourette syndrome. Tic disorders are classified as simple or complex and as motor or vocal. They are commonly referred to as tics and usually occur prior to 18years. Their specific cause is unknown but they suggest a genetic cause because they are common in certain families. Tic disorders are most common in boys than in girls.

Tongue biting, nail biting, touching, glooming behavior and use of socially unacceptable words are some of the characteristics that describe tic disorders (Williams & Wilkins, 2008).The clinical picture of autismAutism comprises of a collective group of disorders called autism spectrum disorders (ASD). These disorders are clinically heterogeneous and they share common characteristics like inability to form social relationships and to communicate. People with these disorders have repetitive behavior, impaired language and are often unresponsive to the environment.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) usually develop in children before the age of 3 years. The symptoms of autism develop gradually, but about 30% of the children have a “regressive” onset – they begin to speak but with time, they suddenly or progressively lose language and stop talking. Infants with autism experience sensory issues and sleep disturbances. Moreover, they are hard to console and often avoid eye contact. Children with autism do not share their interests with others and are at a high risk of early death because they totally disregard danger.

However, these children are not given medical attention even in the presence of such early signs, which becomes very risky for them (Miles, et al., 2010).ReferencesBuzzle.com, (2000). Mental Retardation Symptoms. Retrieved from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/mental-retardation-symptoms.htmlMayoclinic.com, (1998). Dementia. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dementia/DS01131/DSECTION=causesMiles, J. H. et al., (2010). Autism Spectrum Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.

gov/books/NBK1442/Pathy. J. et al., (2012). Pathys Principles and Practice of Geriatric Medicine. New York: John Wiley & Sons.Williams, L., & Wilkins, (2008). Professional Guide to Diseases. New York, Lippincott: Williams & Wilkins Publishers.