Confusion in mmemory loss

[syedanarjis]

Hi,
My sister has been behaving weird since past 2 months.
She gets confused when she is calling out for us, like she calls 3-4 names of our relatives before she actually calls out our name. She is just 17.
this problem started with confusion in names, now she gets confused when she's asking for things too.
Example: If she is asking me for a laptop, she would mention 3-4 things before she actually mentions laptop. Like pen, phone, book etc.
and those things arent in the picture too. As in they arent kept anywhere near the laptop.
Same thing happens with names too, the 3-4 names she calls out, those people arent even present at that time.
We arent able to analyse what the problem could be, initally we used to laugh at her confusion, but now since its ongoing we dont want to take it easy, and require some consultation on the same.

[Bravo594]

That is extremely misleading, that is to the poster above!

Word finding is not only caused by neurological disorders, there are a whole host of reasons for which your sister is having difficulty naming the correct word or object etc.
Best thing is to see a doctor as soon as possible and don't let these scare mongers get the better of you!

[cinivon]

This could be symptom of a serious problem, and should be reported to a doctor asap. A neurologist should look at her, and soon. It sounds like your sister is experiencing Anomic Aphasia, a symptom of some serious neurological problems such as stroke and tumors.
This type of confusion can also be caused by traumatic brain injury, or her forgetfulness could be a sign severe drug use or stress. Either way, a doctor needs to see her ASAP.

The following is from a speech therapy website called http://www.speech-therapy-on-video.com/wordfindingdifficulty.html

Medical Names for Word Finding Difficulty

Word Finding difficulty is a symptom also referred to as:


•anomia
•dysnomia
•anomic aphasia

Anomia is the inability to come up with the names of objects, places, and people. To some degree this happens to all of us as we age. However, individuals whom experience some type of brain trauma may encounter this difficulty on a regular basis.

Dysnomia is also a term used to identify individuals with specific naming difficulties. Both, anomia and dysnomia are deficits associated with the inability to correctly label objects.

Anomic Aphasia: This term refers to word finding difficulty as a type of aphasia.

The typical characteristics of anomic aphasia are:


•Trouble using correct names for people, places, or things


•Speaking hesitantly because of difficulty naming words


•Grammatical skills are unaffected


•Comprehension is normal


•Difficulty finding words may be evident in writing as well as speech


•Reading ability may be impaired


•Having knowledge of what to do with an object, but still unable to name to the object


•Severity levels vary from one person to another


What Causes Word Finding Difficulty?

Word finding difficulty is caused by neurological disorders.

They include:

Stroke (CVA): A cerebral vascular accident, better known as a stroke, is the most common cause of word finding difficulty in adults. Problems with word retrieval are usually associated with an acquired language disorder known as aphasia.

A great resource for information on aphasia and word finding difficulty is; The Stroke Connection Magazine. This free subscription provides tips for daily living as well as inspiring stories from stroke survivors and caregivers.

Head Trauma: Traumatic brain injury can cause a range of speech and language disorders. The symptoms that arise from each injury are directly related to the site of lesion (a specific area of the brain where the damage occurred).

The left hemisphere of our brain is responsible for our language skills. Damage to brain tissue in this general area could result in word finding difficulty.

Dementia: Dementia is a progressive disorder that affects the brain's ability to function normally. It impairs memory as well as overall cognitive ability.

The most common known cause of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. Word finding difficulty can sometimes be an early sign of Alzheimer's.

Tumors: A brain tumor can also cause word retrieval difficulties. This largely depends on the where the tumor is developing. If it invades the left hemisphere, word finding difficulty can become a problem.

As with dementia, word finding difficulty can be an early sign of tumor development.

Aging: Of course, this is a natural cause of word finding difficulty. As the brain ages, chemical changes occur and memory abilities can begin to fade.

A healthy lifestyle as well as keeping an active mind is your best defense against an aging brain.