When you work, are busy with a family and have an active social life, the early signs of dementia are harder to spot. As a result, it often takes a long time in young adults before the diagnosis is made and the complaints therefore cause a lot of uncertainty.
Common symptoms are character changes, memory problems and the feeling that 'something is not right'. The complaints are usually not immediately recognized as dementia. Because of the phase of life in which these people are, a doctor often first thinks about being stressed, depression or relationship problems. According to Marco Blom of Alzheimer Nederland, this is not surprising, because the symptoms do indeed have similarities.
About 12,000 people in the Netherlands have a form of dementia at a young age. On average, it takes 4.4 years to make a diagnosis in young people with dementia.
