To think early-onset and early-stage dementia are constantly mixed up

[Imgonnaleaveyou58]

Work in the field and even staff here get it wrong, they think early onset and early-stage are the same thing. Has anyone else found this? Interested to hear what other things similar have been commonly mixed up.

But surely it’s obvious ? Assuming I have it right (?!) - early onset means the person is afflicted at an earlier age than average and early stage means the early stages of the condition regardless of age?

type 1 and 2 diabetes are mixed up. The very different words prostate and prostrate. MS, ME, MND, BPD people can be vague on what’s what.

Yes that's right, but today I heard a colleague describing an 85 year old lady as having 'early onset dementia' when it's meant to refer to people under 65.

@Imgonnaleaveyou58 they just sound like they aren’t particularly bright / good at their job if they can’t get the basics right. I am in a completely non medical field and haven’t taken biology post age 14 and could figure it out.

Like i said on your duplicate… it is concerning your colleagues work in this field, and struggle with this very basic distinction.

Not just because it is their job, but because it indicates a pretty woeful grasp of English

That is concerning
is English your colleague’s first language?

Drives me nuts.

First language yes

I also see people - quite often on Mumsnet - talking about how someone has 'onset dementia', when presumably they mean early onset (whether it's early or not I don't know). Perhaps it's a misunderstanding of what the word 'onset' means. To me that particular phrase makes no sense - dementia or early onset dementia work but onset dementia doesn't mean anything.

It sounds like your employer needs to train the staff better. What did your colleagues say when you correct them?

That's such an annoying mix-up. I heard it all the time when I worked in hospitals. See also respite/rest bite.

It’s plain English.

I have twins and have been shocked by the number of people, medical professionals included, who believe that separate sacs and placentas during pregnancy means non-identical twins.

If they’re shared, it almost certainly means identical twins (there is the odd rare exception). But separate sacs and placentas can be identical or non-identical. And there are so many sonographers and midwives who don’t know that, that you end up with identical twins spending their whole lives believing they’re non-identical.