Mental confusion facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mental confusion
A child confused by the camera

In medicine, confusion means feeling bewildered or unclear. It's like your brain isn't working quite right. Sometimes, doctors use the term "acute mental confusion" to describe a state called delirium. This is when someone loses their orientation. This means they might not know where they are, what time it is, or even who they are.

Confusion can also involve problems with consciousness. This is when your thinking isn't clear or logical. You might also have memory loss, meaning you can't remember past events or learn new things easily.

What Does "Confusion" Mean?

The word "confusion" comes from the Latin word confundo. This word means "to mix up," "to blend," or "to put into disorder." It perfectly describes how your thoughts can feel when you are confused.

Why Do People Get Confused?

Confusion can happen for many reasons. Sometimes, it's a side effect of certain medications. It can also happen if your brain isn't working properly for a short time.

A strong form of confusion is called delirium. Delirium is more than just feeling confused. It can also mean you have trouble focusing your attention. You might also have problems knowing what's happening around you or understanding time and place.

Sometimes, confusion can be a sign of long-term brain conditions. An example is dementia, which slowly affects memory and thinking skills.

Common Causes of Confusion

Many things can make someone feel confused. Here are some examples:

• Feeling very stressed
• Not having enough healthy red blood cells
• Feeling very worried or nervous
• Injury to the brain
• A growth in the brain
• A mild brain injury from a bump or hit
• Not drinking enough water
• A problem affecting the brain
• Epileptic seizures
• Feeling very sad or down
• Being extremely tired
• Having a high body temperature
• Any injury to the brain
• Heat stroke (when your body gets too hot)
• Very low blood sugar
• Very low body temperature
• An underactive thyroid gland
• Feeling tired and disoriented after long flights
• Kidneys not working well
• An infection around the brain and spinal cord
• Feeling very sad after childbirth
• A mental health condition affecting thoughts
• A serious mental health condition
• Stopping breathing for short times during sleep
• When blood flow to the brain is blocked
• A "mini-stroke"
• Not enough Vitamin B₁₂

Understanding the Cause

Doctors look at many things to figure out why someone is confused. For older people, certain medications can sometimes cause confusion. For example, some medicines used for Parkinson's disease or some types of antidepressants can have this side effect.

New studies also suggest a link between not having enough vitamin D and problems with thinking clearly. This can include feeling like your brain is "foggy."

See also

In Spanish: Confusión (psicología) para niños

• Cognitive distortionde:Verworrenheit