The Price of a Return to Childhood
by Anthony Della Calce
Executive Editor
February 12, 2007

Have you ever wondered what it would be like if you could be a kid again?

What if you had the opportunity to return to those carefree days of childhood that escape us all?  Would you do it?

For those of you who answered yes, you’ve come to the right place.  There does indeed exist a way for you to return to your youth.

But, there’s a catch.

What you need to go through this age-defying process can only be passed down to you by your family.  Most of the time, it comes from your parents.  You must check with them to see if you’re eligible for this youth transportation process.

Here’s how the process works.

You usually have to be middle-aged to begin the process but, it is most commonly started by people in their 60s or 70s.  The process can last a decade or more depending on the individual.  Some people move at an even quicker pace.

The end result, however, is the same for everyone.

The first stage is called no impairment and is essentially a pre-stage.  The individual will feel the same and be unaware of the process that is about to take place.

The second stage is called very mild cognitive decline.  Individuals will notice some changes as they periodically feel younger.  Family and friends, however, will be unaware of the process the person is going through at this point.

The next stage – mild cognitive decline – is when family and friends will start to notice the age transformation process.  Individuals will begin to decline in their ability to handle adult responsibilities as their minds become more childlike.

Stage four is moderate cognitive decline.  Almost everyone around the person will notice the changes taking place.  Complex tasks are becoming too difficult for the individual.  For example, someone else will have to balance the checkbook and pay the bills.  Those responsibilities will no longer concern the individual, who is experiencing the mind’s new found youthfulness.

Moderately severe cognitive decline is the fifth stage.  Here, the person is living in the glory of childhood.  Individuals are not bogged down with remembering details such as where they live or what clothes to wear.  They let others around them concern themselves with those trivial matters.  Individuals can, however, eat on their own and use the bathroom on their own.  They stick to their closest friends and family and don’t worry about having an extensive social life.

Before explaining the last two stages, there are some things about the age transformation process that need to be addressed.

One question many people often ask is:  Can they control the process?  They answer is no.  Certain things can be done to ease the transition between stages but, ultimately, the process cannot be stopped once it starts.

That means a person can’t say:  “I only want to go to stage three” or “I only want go to stage four.”  Although attempts are being made to change this, nothing has been successful to this point.

That poses a problem for people who want to end the process after they start it and for people who want to reverse the process because they are unhappy with the results.  This is particularly evident when individuals enter the final two stages, which is when the individual enters an extreme state of childishness.

In the second-to-last stage, called severe cognitive decline, individuals become almost entirely dependent on others.  They cannot go to the bathroom by themselves and may have frequent accidents.  They cannot dress themselves.  At times, they become combative, especially when you try to assist them with tasks they think they can handle.  They must be watched because they will wander away.  Quite simply, they are reduced to a childlike state that requires constant supervision.  That is why this stage is especially hard on friends and family.

The final stage is very severe cognitive decline.  The symptoms that show up in stage six will worsen.  They will no longer be able to eat on their own and will have trouble swallowing.  They will struggle to speak.  Controlling simple movements, such as walking, standing and sitting, will become difficult.  They will lose control of their muscles and will even lose the ability to smile.  Like an infant child, they will not know the names of friends and family.  Eventually, they will fail to recognize even their closest family members, including spouses.

Many of you reading this are probably asking why anyone would want to go through the process once they know what it is.  The truth is, no one wants to go though it.  The problem is, the process chooses who will go through it and no one – family, friends or the person going through it – can stop it.

Although the individuals undergoing the age transformation process feel no physical pain, their friends and family often go through a great deal of emotional pain. 

See, eventually the person going through the process will forget what’s happening because memory loss accompanies every stage of this process.  It’s a guaranteed side effect.  Individuals will eventually have no recollection of their prior lives as mature, fully-functioning adults.  They will be unaware of their progression toward an increasingly incapacitated, childlike state.

But, their friends and family will be painfully aware of the process their loved one is going through.  They will not forget.  Anyone who has lost a friend or family member to this process can tell you that.

They can also tell you that this process has another name.  It’s called Alzheimer’s.

Author’s Note: The Alzheimer’s Association website was consulted for this article.  For more information on Alzheimer’s disease and how to detect it, please visit this site at www.alz.org.