There was a lady in the GP surgery this morning...

[notnowbernard]

Withwhat I would guess to be a neurological problem affecting her co-ordination and general movement

I don't think it was Parkinson's, as the movements weren't rigid or shaky. More that she couldn't sit still or control her limbs very well, was sort of 'flailing' around a bit. Apart from that mentally and cognitively she appeared fine, conversing openly with the woman she was with

I just wondered what condition she may have. DD (6) was with me and I know she will ask me questions about it at some point and I wanted to explain it properly. ANy thoughts?

Huntingtons? But can't really tell I guess...

She could have Parkinsons and her treatment could be causing the movements (Parkinson's treatment, can cause the symptoms of huntingtons because in termns of brain chemistry they are the opposite of each other.)

Mind you - it's a long time since I wrote my disseration on Parkinsons... so I may be wrong.

iggypiggy - thankyou, Huntington's was what I had in the back of my mind (but do females get it? Thought just men and females were the carriers?)

So could have been Parkinson's... what do you think the simplest way of describing this to a 6yr old is?

possibly dystonic/athetoid cerebral palsy?

The problem is - it really could have been anything!

The movements you are talking about are know as Chorea (they are dance like) - and a quick google search found this list of possible causes of Chorea

as far as I know Huntingtons affects men and women - but others may be able to correct me on that. As I said - It's been a long time for me and this area!

RE: explaining to a 6yr old - I would think it would be easiest to say that there is part of your brain that acts as a kind of handbrake on your movements - making sure when you move it is the exact right amount for what you want to do. Sometimes that part of your brain stops working so well - so you can't control your movements so eaily.

Unless someone more expert than me can think of a better way?

notnowbernard

at six your DD won't care what it is called. The conversation I would have would be about how clever our brains are because they don't just make our thoughts butthey tell our bodies what to do - sometimes that message from the brain to the body gets interferred with and it can get harder to do. That can be caused by illnesses, or bumps to the head or things that were in your brain when you were born.

My DD is 7 and I started explaining DS2's verbal difficulties in that way.
( mind you with DS2 we have loads of those conversations on a regular basis)

Iggypiggy and Pag, thanks

Justthe sort of answers/descriptions I was looking for! No, she won't need to know about diagnosis etc but wanted to explain what causes the movement etc in a way she'd understand