• Question: Can children and younger adults get dementia?

    Asked by anon-188701 to Nadine, Shanti, Paul on 5 Nov 2018. This question was also asked by anon-188127.
    • Photo: Nadine Mirza

      Nadine Mirza answered on 5 Nov 2018:

      Children and teenagers cannot get dementia thankfully.
      Younger adults could possibly get dementia but it is very very rare.
      Dementia usually happens at ages older than 60. Then scientists discovered early onset dementia, which happens in people younger than 60. Usually 40s or 50s. In the UK about 5% of the people with dementia are early onset (younger than 60).
      It is very rarely seen in young adults (20s to 30s) however. And if it occurs, it can take a long long time before the dementia goes fully into effect.

    • Photo: Paul Matusz

      Paul Matusz answered on 11 Nov 2018:

      Indeed, I think that only older adults can develop dementia, or it’s “weaker” version – mild cognitive impairment, from 60 onwards, with the probability increasing as people grow older.

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