Do you have a child who seems unable to recall or relate their day at school? Do they tend to struggle with basic studies and forget things you just discussed with them? And do you have a general feeling that their memories could be failing them?
Well, if you can relate to any of these, then you are one of the millions of parents across the globe who have kids whose memories may not be very good. This should not necessarily be of grave concern, because the most important thing to know is that the child might be having memories issues and that there are remedies you can consider helping them have better memories.
It should be noted that the human brain is a very complex organ performing very complex functions in the body. Controlling memory is one of the functions it performs, and this implies any attempts you make to improve your child’s memory will be primarily focused on enhancing their brain power.
Now, there are a number of reasons why children may not have good memories and knowing them is an important step in helping your child have a better memory. Below is a brief look at some the reasons for a lapse in memory in kids, including the recommended steps that should be taken to help the child.
Attention Deficit Disorder
One of the factors believed to be responsible for short-term memory loss in children is attention deficit disorder. In a study conducted in 2009, a connection was made between inconsistent short term memory loss in kids and ADHD. Individuals with this neurobehavioral disorder usually find it very difficult to have their focus on any particular task for some period of time. Therefore, kids with this condition are also likely to suffer from short-term memory problems.
Poor working memory
Poor working memory is a condition that may be encountered due to a general lack of intelligence and lack of attention amongst kids. This is something that most kids will experience at some point in their childhood, and it will slowly disappear when the child finds more relevance in the things around them, or they start to become inquisitive to start asking about the things they see or those things happening around them.
Dyscalculia
This is a condition occasioned by the inability to process visual information. Children with this condition usually have very good abilities in grasping various academic topics, but they do have very big problems when it comes to understanding mathematics. But with consistent practice and encouragement, the hurdles in math can always be overcome, and such kids usually emerge to be very bright boys and girls.
Poor auditory memory
With this condition, the child has the ability to hear and comprehend information correctly, but they find it difficult to recall it at a later date or time.
How to know if your child is suffering from short-term memory loss
It is not obvious that you will always be in a position to notice the above conditions the moment they occur unless you have the training to do so, but there are certain pointers or symptoms you can use to deduce if your child is suffering from short-term memory loss.
To begin with, watch out if they are unable to recall a particular person, place or event which, in the normal, they should be able to remember. Secondly, find out if they are unable to recall a particularly traumatic event such as an abuse or even death that might have occurred in the recent past.
Children with short-term memory loss usually find it a challenge to recall even events that took place last week, or just a couple of days ago. On some occasions, they may make efforts to concentrate in order to recall the event, but still end up missing some details. Such children also normally do have a tendency to shy away from pursuing any activity that might require them to concentrate continuously for some time. It means that it will always be a struggle to get them to settle and clear their homework.
How to deal with short-term memory loss in kids
Now that you know the causes of short-term memory loss in kids and how to tell if your kid may be suffering from short-term memory loss, here are a few tips to help them out of their short-term memory woes-:
Regular exercise – encourage the kids to exercise regularly to improve both their physical and cognitive health. Exercise is very powerful in helping to strengthen the coordination between hands, eye and the brain.
Encourage them to play memory games – introduce the kids and encourage them to play mind game such as scrabble where they will be required to use their brainpower to scramble and unscramble letters during the game. Such will not just sharpen their memories, but also will help them improve their concentration.
Ensure a balanced diet – other than playing board games such as scrabble where they scramble and unscramble letters, proper diet is also essential in helping improve the memory in children. You are probably aware that there are certain foods that will improve memory, while others are very bad for the brain. Check out what the kid is eating and discourage them from foods that may be detrimental to the proper development of their brains.
Encourage creative outlets for the child – it is highly advisable that you have creative outlets for the child to express themselves. These could be through activities such as writing, photography, singing, playing a musical instrument etc. Such will always keep the mind working, help them fight stress, and find things they are truly interested in, which will ultimately help them improve their memories.
It is always not a walk in the park to deal with a child suffering from memory loss. As a parent, you may get worried, but you should remember that the child is still at their formative stages, and with time and the right approaches, such conditions can be easily corrected.
