Putting everything in her mouth

[Witzend]

My mother is nearly 97 with advanced AD and lately she has started trying to put all sorts in her mouth, often licking the things first. She began with my hand, while I was holding hers. Since I do often kiss her hand I wondered whether she was trying to kiss back, but had forgotten how, but she has since done it with everything from Easter cards to my iPad the other day - I had taken it to show her pics of very new great-granddaughter, even though I knew it would mean nothing to her any more. (Not really sad about that BTW - she has been so bad for so long we don't expect any connection with anything any more.)

But I was just wondering whether anyone else has had the same. The other day I let her put my fingers in her mouth to see what she would do, and she bit them! (Not many teeth left so it was Ok). I am not bothered about it, but just interested to know whether it's at all common.

 

[cragmaid]

My Mum used to do the same. I likened it to the reversal of life skills learned...e.g forgetting to be continent, forgetting how to walk and ultimately forgetting how to hold, touch or feel, except like a baby does......by putting everything in it's mouth.

To think....they used to call "senile Dementia - second childhood". Perhaps there is some truth in that description even if it is not kindly named.

 

[Izzy]

My husband will try to eat anything and everything. I think he mistakes coasters for some kind of biscuit!

 

[Essie]

Hi Witzend - there was a thread recently with exactly this question - so it's not singular thing - http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?80451-Chewing-anything-and-everything!

 

[Perdita]

My husband will try to eat anything and everything. I think he mistakes coasters for some kind of biscuit!

Yes my mum tried a delicious strip of cork backing one day too

 

[Onlyme]

Mum tried to eat my thumb.