Short Term Memory Loss in Children

Tap to Read ➤ Sujata Iyer

Difficult to believe though it may seem, short term memory loss in children does occur and needs to be attended to rather patiently and sincerely. Here we will give you an insight into what you can do to make your child's life more comfortable if he or she suffers from short term memory loss.

There are a lot of us who believe that memory loss is a condition that can afflict only adults. We refuse to believe that someone as young as a child of 6 or 7 could find it difficult to remember things that he learned just the previous day. It is however, an unfortunate truth that children too can suffer from short term memory loss.

While the causes for the short term memory loss in children are more difficult to ascertain, many experts attribute it to learning disabilities, possible head injuries (rare cases), and even to severe emotional stress. Symptoms can be difficulty in remembering and carrying out simple day-to-day activities as compared to other children of the same age group.

If you think you know a child who may be experiencing such problem, go through the treatment options given in the following segments.

Attention

The first help that a child suffering from short term memory loss needs is the love and attention of his care taker. Pay attention to your child.

Is he experiencing difficulty in remembering simple things? Do you have to keep repeating things again and again? These could be signs that he has short term memory loss. Don't ignore or disregard these symptoms.

While they may not necessarily be indicative of something serious, it could be that the child has some learning disabilities. These are nothing to be ashamed of. Don't make the child feel pressured to learn just like others, pay more attention to him and patiently make him learn and understand things, no matter how many times you have to repeat yourself.

Activities

One of the tried and tested methods of helping children to improve their memory power is to indulge them in brain activities.

These activities could include anything from simple memory games to things like having them memorize the lines of a poem by constant repetition.

In school, a teacher can do little things like recap a lesson at the end of the class or ask repetitive questions to the children to ensure that children with a memory problem can remember. Make children with memory problems sit at the head of the class. This will help them to focus better.

Make the kids indulge in creative activities like arts and crafts if you think that they have an interest in it. They will remember things that they want to, more easily. This will help them in remembering other things too.

Fresh Air

Unfortunately, most kids now would rather spend time watching TV, playing video games or surfing the Internet, rather than going out in the fresh air to play. Make it a point to see that your kid gets enough time outdoors to get refreshed and rejuvenated.

Take him to the park and teach him simple things like climbing the jungle jim and getting down again. Cycling and going out to the grocery to buy a can of milk are also simple things that you can teach your child to do.

You may accompany him, first to teach him how to go about doing them, and then just for supervision. Once he gets the hang of it, he'll become more confident and will be willing to learn more things.

Communication

Communication is the first step towards finding a solution to a problem. Maintain constant communication with your child when he has trouble remembering things or when he can't seem to focus on his homework and other studies.

Reassure him that it's all right to forget, and that the more he tries, the better he'll get at remembering things. So he mustn't give up. Avoid reprimanding him when he cannot do, as he is told. Emotional stress, as mentioned previously is a cause of short term memory loss in children.

You will only exert more pressure on him, and probably lead to a worse situation. Also, don't forget to complement and applaud him when he completes a task that he was told to, without any trouble. He will be happy and strive harder to complete more tasks.

Yes, treatment for short term memory loss in children is not as simple as popping a pill and suddenly remembering everything. They need love, perseverance and nurturing to help them focus and overcome their disability.

Consult your child's doctor for other treatment options that you can explore, apart from the ones mentioned here. Your child needs you more than anything else, so be there for him.