Independent TV

Showing now | Lifestyle

I thought my 22-year-old son had autism — I was shocked to find out it was early-onset dementia

00:48

‘I thought my 22-year-old son had autism - but he received a shocking diagnosis’

A mother who initially thought her son was autistic says he has become the youngest person with early-onset dementia in the UK.

Sam Fairborn, 47, from Norwich, says her son Andre Yarham, 22, started moving and speaking more slowly than usual and had a blank stare.

He received his dementia diagnosis, as well as a formal autism diagnosis, in 2022.

He had already scored highly on an autism test.

Fairborn says she has to treat her son as though he is a 70-year-old man.

Up next

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in