Senior Editors: Jessica Beresford-Webb, Shahid Zaman
Purpose: A Comprehensive Assessment for Dementia in People with Down Syndrome and Others with Intellectual Disabilities
Age: Adults
Admin: Individual
Qualification Level: B
Diagnosis of prodromal Alzheimer’s disease and AD dementia in people with Down’s Syndrome is a major challenge. The comprehensive Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of Older People with DS and Others with Intellectual Disabilities (CAMDEX-DS) has been validated for diagnosing prodromal AD and AD dementia. Here we provide an updated version (CAMDEX-DS-II).
The CAMDEX-DS-II starter pack comprises a comprehensive manual including guidance for diagnosis, a structured informant interview to collect information about presenting symptoms and clinical history, a direct participant assessment (CAMCOG-DS-II), and a picture book to use in conjunction with the participant assessment.
The CAMDEX-DS-II is a fully updated second edition of a validated assessment for diagnosing dementia in people with Down Syndrome (a group known to be at particular riskof dementia), as well as others with intellectual disabilities. In order to differentiate decline due to dementia or other mental health issues from pre-existing impairment, particular emphasis has been placed on establishing change from the individual’s best level of functioning. The CAMDEX-DS-II comprises a comprehensive manual including guidance for diagnosis, a structured informant interview to collect information about presenting symptoms and clinical history, a direct participant assessment (CAMCOG-DS-II), and a picture book to use in conjunction with the participant assessment. The CAMDEX-DS-II may be used in community settings by health professionals as part of the diagnostic process, or to formalise diagnosis in the context of research.
The CAMDEX-DS-II pack contains the following components:
- The Manual: explains how to use and coordinate the CAMDEX-DS-II assessment components and covers differential diagnosis, scoring, diagnostic criteria and guidance for interviewers.
- The Informant Interview: a structured interview carried out in the absence of the person with Down Syndrome or other intellectual disabilities, with a relative or carer who has known them well over time.
- The Participant Assessment: completed directly with the person with Down Syndrome or other intellectual disabilities, and comprises a cognitive assessment (the CAMCOG-DS-II) and interviewer observations.
- The Picture Book: used alongside the CAMCOG-DS-II, and provides photos and illustrations to aid the direct assessment of the person with Down Syndrome or other intellectual disabilities.
