What is frontotemporal dementia as man, 24, dies?
Grieving Norfolk mother says dementia “doesn’t discriminate against age” after her son dies, aged 24.
A grieving mother has said that dementia “doesn’t discriminate against age” after her son died aged 24 from the disease.
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Andre Yarham, who lived in Dereham, Norfolk, passed over Christmas, having lived an active life before displaying symptoms from November 2022.
He had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia shortly before his 23rd birthday and his brain has now been donated to scientists for the disease to be studied.
Andre’s mother Samantha Fairbairn, 49, told the BBC: “He walked into his care home September last year, very slowly, but he walked in and within just over a month he was in a wheelchair.
"Dementia is a cruel, cruel disease and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It doesn’t discriminate against age.”
She added that her son was initially more forgetful than usual but symptoms progressed to the point where he had lost his ability to talk around one month before he died.
The illness has become known as the dementia type that retired actor Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with.
The 70-year-old stopped making films in 2020 and his daughter shared in November that his condition has worsened over time.
Rumer Willis said: “I’m so grateful that when I go over there and give him a hug, whether he recognises me or not, that he can feel the love I’ve given him and I can feel it back from him."
What is frontotemporal dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia is a rare type of the illness that leads to problems with mental abilities caused by gradual changes and damage in the brain, states the NHS.
It affects the front and sides of the brain and develops slowly, often worsening over several years.
What marks frontotemporal dementia out is that it is often diagnosed at a younger age, with it being spotted in those aged 45-65 and not over 65, which is the norm for other types.
It can affect those younger or older than this age bracket and accounts for around one in 20 cases of dementia.
The NHS states that symptoms include:
- Personality and behaviour changes – acting inappropriately or impulsively,
- Language problems – speaking slowly, struggling to make the right sounds,
- Problems with mental abilities – getting distracted easily, struggling with planning,
- Memory problems – these only tend to occur later on
There's currently no cure for frontotemporal dementia but symptoms can be aided by some medication and there are also therapy options as well as financial support.