Both conditions belong to a group of disorders known as lysosomal storage disorders. They are rare disorders affecting between 1 in 40,000 and 1 in 60,000 people.
Symptoms of Childhood Alzheimer’s
Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) and Sanfillipo syndrome share some similar symptoms. Both conditions can affect children as young as a few months old. Symptoms will be more visible and easy to detect in children four years old and older. A child with childhood Alzheimer’s will exhibit symptoms that typically affect their memory, coordination, and communication skills. Some of the most identifiable symptoms include:
Decline in motor skills, such as walking Difficulty concentrating Having slurred speech or being unable to speak Decline in muscle tone Blinking rapidly Slow intellectual development Behavioral challenges Seizures Difficulty seeing or hearing
With NPC, the following symptoms are unique to the condition:
Undefined muscle tone Respiratory infections Odd eye movements Cognitive decline Difficulty eating
Sanfilippo syndrome also has a set of symptoms that makes it distinguishable from other lysosomal storage disorders. They include:
Slightly coarse facial features Joint issues Skeletal abnormalities Slightly enlarged livers Larger headsPouching around the belly button
Identifying Childhood Alzheimer’s
It can be challenging to diagnose childhood Alzheimer’s in the first few years of your child’s life, even when they may already have developed the condition. Both conditions become more detectable in children 4 years old and above. If your child’s doctor suspects either of these conditions, they will likely carry out genetic testing to confirm their diagnosis. Only around 1 in 70,000 babies is diagnosed with Sanfilippo syndrome. The most effective way to get ahead of disorders such as these is to monitor your child’s development closely, especially in earlier years. It’s advisable not to dismiss any unexplainable symptoms your child might exhibit, no matter how minor they appear.
Causes of Childhood Alzheimer’s
Lysosomes make up the part of your cells that helps your body to break down carbohydrates and lipids. In people with lysosomal storage disorders, their lysosomes don’t work correctly, causing a build-up of fat in parts of the body, including the brain. When this happens, it can cause organs where fat built up to malfunction and eventually die. It’s not entirely clear what causes lysosomal storage disorders to develop in children. The leading theory is that genetics play a key role in developing these conditions. Parents with carrier genes for either condition could pass it on to their children even though they don’t have the condition.
Treatment for Childhood Alzheimer’s
Unfortunately, both Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) and Sanfillipo syndrome are rare and often fatal diseases. Research is still ongoing to find a possible cure and effective treatment for these conditions. Both conditions are progressive, which means a child with either condition will continue to develop worsening symptoms as they age. Treatment for this condition currently focuses on finding ways to make your child as comfortable as possible as they age.
Coping with Childhood Alzheimer’s
It’s crucial to support your child with either NPC or Sanfillipo syndrome to improve the quality of their everyday life. Although the diseases may be fatal, there are ways to make a child with either of these conditions feel as comfortable as they can in the time they have with you.
Get your child a physical therapist to help build muscle strength and cope with muscle weakness. Both conditions cause difficulty swallowing eventually. It’s crucial to stay on top of your child’s diet as this happens to prevent nutritional deficiencies.A speech therapist can help with declining communication skills.
A Word From Verywell
As a quick recap, there’s no medical condition known as “childhood Alzheimer’s.” It’s also not a type of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s a moniker that refers to two conditions: NPC and Sanfillipo syndrome. Both conditions of which are rare lysosomal storage disorders. While the conditions that make up childhood Alzheimer’s may be fatal, the life expectancy of a child with any of these conditions is usually about 20 years. In some cases, with adequate care and management, a child with either of these conditions could live for up to 30 years.
