HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE Flashcards
characteristics of HD
- behavioral/emotional: irritable, depressed, anxious, aggressive outbursts, mood swings, social withdrawal
- motor: fidgety, uncoordinated, involuntary movements (chorea, dystonia), difficulties with speech, swallowing, balance, walking
- cognitive: short term memory problems, trouble organizing & concentrating, difficulty coping
HD
progressive neurological disease
- genetic, no cure, fatal
- occurs between 30 & 50, life expectancy 10-25 years
- death due to heart failure, aspiration, pneumonia, suicide
motor control symptoms of huntingtons
chorea, dystonia, motor impersistence, dysarthria, dysphagia, poor posture, incoordination, delayed initiation of movement, impaired balance/gait
cognitive symptoms of HD
ED, multi-tasking, rigid inflexible thinking, poor concentration, easily distracted, impaired visual spatial abilities, impaired impulse control, diminished vocab, poor insight, short term memory loss
psychiatric HD symptoms
depression, anhedonia (loss of sex libido), suicidal ideation, social isolation, disrupted sleep patterns, delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, irritability
eating interventions for HD
- work with SLP to modify food/liquid textures to increase ease of swallowing
- encourage self feeding for as long as possible
- encourage modified eating environment with min distractions
bathing interventions for HD
- tilt in space shower chair (sliding out of chair due to extensor tone)
- grab rails, adaptive seating for toilet/bathing, ADAPTIVE SEATING HAS TO BE TYPE THAT WON’T CAUSE INJURY IF PATIENT HAS SUDDEN TOTAL BODY EXTENSOR TONE
dressing interventions for HD
loose fitting clothes, elastic waistbands, front closure, low heeled shoes, zipper pulls for jackets, clothing laid out for patients who can’t organize/initiate dressing
household management for HD
- kitchen reorganization for safety during meal prep, pre-packaged microwavable meals, clearly label cupboards, closets
- help patient find assistance with tasks they can’t complete anymore: shopping, heaving cleaning, financial management
mobility for HD
- remove safety hazards from living areas (throw rugs, small unnecessary furniture)
- methods of carrying items to keep hands free while walking to hold onto grab rails/furniture (EX: shoulder bags)
- methods of emergency communication in event of a fall (cell phone, life alert)
cognitive interventions for HD
- train on planners, calendars, electronic deice alerts
- break down tasks into smaller steps
- daily routine
- ask direct questions & offer specific choices (rather than open ended questions)
- give them time to respond to questions/instructions as response time can be delayed
psychosocial issue interventions for HD
-Educate the patient, family and caregivers on environment calm and consistent (provide therapy when clinic is quiet)
-Discuss stressors that can trigger frustration, irritability, or outbursts and help patients and caregivers to avoid those situations.
-Avoid confrontational situations with patients. Instead, attempt to redirect patients to other topics or activities.
AE
- electric razors/beard trimmers, electric toothbrush
- plate guard, swivel spoon, non skid placemat
In what HD stage is driving eval completed?
Stage 2
What kind of cues are used?
Simple
