encephalitis and memory loss

[dreamer41]

my son is 25 years old and has been in hospital for 8 weeks suffering from severe encephalitis.he was in a coma for 12 days and was not expected to pull through.he came around and then just laid there for the next three weeks lifeless and mute.he is now walking and talking but his short term memory has been very deeply affected,also his long term memory is bad,he does not seem to recall many events from the past and even though we are repetively repeating to him that he is in hospital he keeps asking where he is and saying there is nothing wrong with him.we are waiting to get him into a specialised brain unit for treatment but they say it will be 6 months before we know what brain damage he has,he also started having fits to go with it.is there any chance he can recover full memory back

[roadman51]

my wife was in a coma for 38 days. the doctors told us that she would probably be in a vegative state.like your son she was lackluster and weak for a few weeks.as soon as she was stable she was transfered to a brain trauma unit where intensive therapy began. she was walking 30 to 50 steps within in days. her memory retention at first was only about a few seconds.long term memory seems to be more prevelent she can remember her mother father siblings names birthdays and she definitly knows other people but may not remember their name sort of like when you regonize someone but just can't put your finger on it. she still struggles with short term memory loss. it's been 5 years now and we see improvement from time to time. now we can go out to eat and go shopping but she still has to be accompanied by a adult or she can get lost easily.she could in the first month feed herself then on to bathe herself. the best thing that happened or my wife was the therapy that she got in the btu. every one is diffrent but my wife can now around the house take care of her own needs with little or no supervision i wish the best for your son and his full recovery and remember your son is not a stastic and his recovery will be his own not a number on a chart

[Dr Rajgopal]

Hi,
The prognosis for encephalitis varies from person to person . Some cases are mild, short and relatively benign and patients have full recovery. Other cases are severe, and permanent impairment could be possible. The acute phase of encephalitis may last for 1 to 2 weeks, with gradual or sudden resolution of fever and other symptoms. Neurological symptoms may require many months before full recovery. Occurrence of fits is one of the complications of encephalitis. Please consult a neurologist for examination and treatment. Reorientation and emotional support for confused, delirious or people with memory loss may be helpful. Please arrange for a psychotherapist who may be helpful in engaging your son in intellectual activities that could help him in regaining some memory. Social activities, group discussions may be beneficial. Hope this helps you. Take care and regards!