In this interview, we speak with Professor and Author Dr. Bonnie Hennig-Trestman about how to speak with children about familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD), a neurological disease that runs in the family.
Dr. Hennig-Trestman is an Assistant Professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Director of the Carilion Clinic Huntington's Disease Program at Carilion Clinic. She is also the author of the book, “Talking to Kids About Huntington's Disease: A book for people who know children with HD in their family”.
She has over 30 years of expertise providing and guiding clinical services to patients and families suffering from neurodegenerative disease. Her research focuses on developing effective strategies for parents to discuss and navigate a Huntington's disease, a disease very similar to FAD, risk and diagnosis with children.
In this video, Dr. Hennig-Trestman answers questions about effective strategies and her recommendations for talking to children about FAD. These questions include:
Is it beneficial or detrimental to shield children from knowledge about FAD in the family?
What are the pros and cons of telling children this information?
What is the best way to disclose this information?
How can parents disclose information in an age-appropriate manner?
Note that Dr. Hennig-Trestman later sat for a live-streamed webinar with Youngtimers volunteer Susan Hiatt.