1. Look for Undue Clumsiness and Jerky Movements
Early physical signs of Huntington's disease often involve a loss of balance and unexpected clumsiness. Movements tend to become much larger than intended; for example, a short reach for a glass of water will result in an overreach, knocking the glass over. Involuntary facial movements tend to appear as well: grimacing, twitching or struggling to move your eyes without turning your head. Symptoms of Huntington's disease tend to start out mild and increase in intensity as the condition progresses. Uncontrollable physical twitches tend to become much more pronounced, muscle stiffness may grow worse, and in the later stages of the condition, simple acts such as swallowing or standing up become very difficult. The inability to swallow may lead to choking, and those in the later stages of the disease must be watched carefully when taking in nourishment.
2. Watch for Mental Difficulties
Besides the physical symptoms, Huntington's disease has an effect on the way the brain processes information. Simple tasks will suddenly require much more work to accomplish correctly. Multi-tasking will become more difficult, and you may find yourself unable to handle unexpected developments easily. It eventually begins to affect speech as well, leading to slurred words, stumbling speech or an inability to remember simple terms. Learning new information becomes difficult, short-term memory loss can appear and basic cognition will eventually start to fade as the condition runs its course.
3. Be Aware of Emotional or Psychological Distress
Early signs of Huntington's disease match those of more common emotional disorders. You may experience depression or be quick to anger when things don't go your way. Impulse control may become a problem as you find self-censorship increasingly difficult. Undue aggression and angry outbursts tend to follow. As the condition progresses, more serious emotional difficulties may develop, including dementia, hallucinations, seizures and signs of schizophrenia. Depression often becomes severe with long-term conditions such as this one, and people with Huntington's disease may become a suicide risk if their emotional states aren't treated.
