When a friend or family member has Alzheimer's disease, you may feel upset, confused, or scared. Alzheimer's can be puzzling because a person who has it often doesn't look sick. But when you spend time with people with Alzheimer's you know that something very serious is wrong. They may forget things, ask the same questions over and over, or have trouble even finding the right words for things. Some people with Alzheimer's may cry, become angry very easily, or behave in ways that embarrass you. Sometimes the person may not remember who you are even if it is someone like a grandparent who knows you very well.
People with Alzheimer's disease are not acting like this to be mean or because they don't care about you anymore. Changes deep inside their brains are destroying the centers that control remembering, thinking, and feeling. They are losing their ability to make sense out of the world.
This page provides resources to help you learn about Alzheimer's disease and understand how it affects you. It's important to know that you are not alone. Alzheimer's changes the lives of everyone it touches.
For more information, here are some helpful websites:
Kids and Teens
http://www.alzheimers.org/unraveling/index.htm
Provides a neat walking tour through the brain and a complete explanation of what happens in the brain with Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's Disease: Information for Children and Teenagers
A listing of books and resource information on Alzheimer's disease for children and teens.
Alzheimer's: The Tangled Brain
A special feature about Alzheimer's disease that explores causes, current treatments, new medicines on the horizon, and prevention. Includes illustrations, photographs, and medical images.
Alzheimer's Disease
A feature from the "Health Problems of Grown-Ups" section of KidsHealth.org that explains what Alzheimer's disease is, how people know they have it, what the doctor will do to help, and what life is like for a person who has Alzheimer's.
The Whole Brain Atlas
Medical images of healthy and sick brains. To see the images for Alzheimer's disease, scroll down to the Degenerative Diseases section. Hosted by Harvard Medical School.
Neuroscience for Kids
A site for all students and teachers who would like to learn about the science of the brain, nerve cells, and other parts of the nervous system. Includes links to other Internet resources, experiments and activities, and lists of books and articles. Visitors can sign up to receive a free "Neuroscience for Kids" e-mail newsletter. Hosted by a scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Brainy Kids
This site features a large collection of links that explore a variety of science topics. The "Lab Links" section takes kids on a journey inside the brain for a closer look at its structure and function. The "Lesson Plans" section is geared toward students and teachers alike and contains resources for classroom activities. The site is hosted by the Dana Brain Alliance.
Bats, Brains, and Burying Grounds
A virtual visit to a "brain bank" that accepts donations of brains for scientific study after people die. From the Why Files, a large collection of on-line science features geared to students hosted by the graduate school of the University of Wisconsin at Madison.
Dissection of the Human Brain
Pictures of real human brains. Hosted by the Virtual Hospital, an on-line library of health information, with content developed by scientists at the University of Iowa Health Center.
If you have further questions about Alzheimer's disease, e-mail Jane Priest or telephone at 703-359-4440 or toll-free 1-800-272-3900.
