ARTICLES / General /
Colicky Dementia /
Other ArticlesBy Shay Jacobson, RN, MA, NMG
Dementia is a term that brings to mind a
pleasantly confused, grandmotherly figure—sweet,
gentle and easy to redirect. Adult
children believe and trust that Mom will only
exhibit her most endearing qualities, be
socially appropriate, and docilely follow the
directions of her caregivers. But what
happens when an already misfiring mind responds
chaotically to the world around it, veering
drastically from the peaceful path?
Dementia presents differently in different
people. Existing pre-morbid conditions may
adversely affect the face of dementia. Untreated mental illness, undetected substance
abuse, and personality disorders all result in
frenzied presentation. This presentation
appears to be bizarre and disconnected from reality
on its face—but is it?
There is a very common condition that is
well-known in the lay and professional populations
called colic. The strict medical definition of
colic is a condition of a healthy baby in which it
shows periods of intense, unexplained fussing/crying
lasting more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a
week for more than 3 weeks. There is
much attention given to this condition and much to
be learned from the coping strategies that have
developed to address the needs of an inconsolable
child. So let us return to a person suffering
from atypical dementia and define what colic looks
like in an adult.
Colicky dementia is
unpredictable, inconsolable, and results in
disproportionate behavioral reactions to the reality
of the individual’s environment, inner health, and
caregiving. The individual exhibits a
chronic state of anxiety, panic, and circular
thinking that last for periods exceeding 3 hours a
day more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks.
This condition ensnarls the individual in a
continuous fight-or-flight response with their
caregivers and the environment. This is more
than a nuisance to the caregiver as it leads to
serious caregiver stress, especially if they do not
find ways to cope with the colicky behavior.
The root cause of colicky dementia is discontent
with the environment. The individual reacts
with fear and panic when they feel unsafe or uneasy.
They simply do not feel in control. Since they
cannot communicate normally with their surroundings
and those who care for them, they continue to
misread the data input from their surroundings and
those who care for them and react with escalating
and circular panic. The fight-or-flight
response has never had a clearer presentation than
with colicky dementia. They resort to
undesirable behaviors such as shouting, biting,
crying and hitting in an ineffectual attempt to
reduce the tension in their own mind.
