Psychiatry 101: Everything To Learn About Cognitive Dysfunction In Kids With Lupus 

When parents say, “I wish I can take my child’s pain,” you better believe it. Seeing your offspring go through the ordeal of having a disease is the worst thing on the planet. And it is ten times more heartbreaking when the illness is chronic like lupus since various factors can activate its symptoms 24/7. 

 

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One aspect that the autoimmune disease hits hard is the child’s psychiatry. In particular, it tends to decrease their ability to learn new things and retain a memory long-term. Hence, the proper name for the symptom is cognitive dysfunction. 

Why Does It Occur? 

As with most conditions that affect the brain, the definite causes of the problem are not stress-free to detect. What we are aware of at the moment is that when the immune system fires up, it can destruct, inflame, or interrupt the standard function of the neurological tissues. 

What Are The Indications Of Cognitive Dysfunction? 

The symptoms of cognitive dysfunction in children with lupus are similar to that of the adults. The list consists of the following: 

 

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  • Inability to create or execute plans 
  • Having trouble understanding one’s words or conversing with people 
  • Failure to focus on the current activity 
  • Being unable to perform multiple tasks at once 

How Can You Help A Child Deal With It? 

Grownups still struggle when it comes to managing the psychiatric symptoms of lupus. Because of that, you can imagine how much more assistance a kid with the same disease needs to live normally. Below are the ways to help your child deal with cognitive dysfunction. 

For all the hype, the practice of mindfulness is very simple. It is simply attending to one’s perceptions in the present moment without thinking, analyzing, or judging. — Marilyn Wedge Ph.D.

Remove Distractions 

Since you already know that the kid lacks concentration or cannot multitask, go the extra mile to ensure that nothing will distract them when doing something. If they are studying at home, for instance, place their study table away from the TV or toys. Soundproof the room as well if necessary so that external noises won’t turn into distractions. 

Slow Down 

Kids suffering from cognitive dysfunction surely have difficulty in taking in a lot of information at once. When you are teaching them an academic lesson, therefore, you ought to decrease your pace to ascertain that they can keep up. It will also be great if you won’t get frustrated while you’re doing it. 

Many parents believe that “discipline” is the key to facilitating their children’s character development. However, discipline alone will not suffice. — Kathy Hardie-Williams, MEd, MS, NCC, LPC, LMFT

Use Visuals 

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The child will likely be forgetful too. The stuff you taught them yesterday may be hard for them to recall the next day, so you should consider providing visual cues to stimulate their brain and allow them to remember words, chores, etc.  

Track Their Progress 

Monitoring the progression of cognitive dysfunction is also beneficial for the kids. You will then realize whether they react well to your efforts or they require a new approach to manage the condition. 

 …even though the percentage who understand that children learn best when allowed to control their own learning remains small, that percentage is growing. — Peter Gray Ph.D.

In The End 

Cognitive dysfunction is among the things you can expect from someone who has neuropsychiatric lupus. Although it’s quite common, it remains challenging to accept, primarily when it develops in a child. There is, unfortunately, no exact cure for the disease, but you can try the tips above – and more – to improve their thought process. 

Likewise, you may consult a therapist if you need reinforcement in regulating your child’s psychiatry. Good luck!