Decline in Speech and Language Skills May Signal Childhood Dementia

What is it about?

Childhood dementia is caused by 100+ genetic conditions that cause neurodegeneration and death. Speech and language impairments are often the first signs of childhood dementia, but are often overlooked. This article outlines the early speech and language features in childhood dementia, so speech pathologists and other pediatric clinicians are aware of what to look out for.

Featured Image

Photo by Bethany Beck on Unsplash

Photo by Bethany Beck on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Identifying early speech and language features of childhood dementia can help facilitate timely referrals to specialists, and, in turn, an early diagnosis of childhood dementia. Early diagnosis is important to inform decision making, provide tailored therapies and enable access to potential treatments. Speech pathologists and other pediatric clinicians should be aware of childhood dementia and the speech and language features of these conditions.