Oh Alas forgotten? Today is another day?
Commonly uttered words in Adults, isn’t it? But in the case of children??
Just as in the case with adults, children also have short term memory loss, and not one thing causes memory loss in children. It is not due to age or gender. It is due to interference, encoding failure, decay in storage, and loss of cues, which impairs the ability to focus. When a person is on another work or exposed to interference, their ability to recall information, even over very short periods, declines significantly.
The common cause of short term memory is due to lack of sleep. Too little restful sleep leads to mood changes and anxiety, which in turn can contribute to memory impairment. However, it is not unusual for a specific disorder to inspire memory-related troubles in children. Child’s memory may diminish by some learning disabilities.
Is your child unable to recall his spent day at school or do you notice your child struggling with maths? The human brain has many different parts and has complex functions. Controlling memory is one of the crucial functions of the brain. If you don’t know about this condition, don’t panic.
Read this article to understand more, the causes of short-term memory loss in children and related situations. This post is intended to enlighten on Understanding Short-term Memory Loss in Children, Its common symptoms, and some Simple Tips to help your child fight the condition better.
Causes of Short Term Memory Loss In Children:
Here are some things you need to watch for in your child:
- A particular event, a place, a person that the child should ideally remember, but fails to recall as time goes.
- An occurrence of a traumatic event, such as death or abuse, which the child cannot recall.
- Child abuse, which includes, child maltreatment, bullying, youth violence, sexual violence, emotional violence or psychological violence and witnessing violence.
A short-term memory loss in children can be a result of the following factors:
Attention Deficit Disorder: ADHD, elaborated as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), is a neurobehavioral disorder. This condition makes it hard for the individual to focus on a particular task for a reasonable period of time. They have a problem with completing the task given at home or school.
Symptoms: Symptoms vary from person to person. Children suffering from ADHD show signs of inattentiveness, impulsivity in certain ways:
- Squirm and fidget
- Are in constant motion
- Difficulty in concentration
- Impatient
- Have trouble playing quietly
- Do not seem to listen
- Talk excessively
- Are easily distracted
- Interrupt or intrude on others
- Cannot finish tasks
Poor Working Memory: Children with poor working memory lack intelligence, and they won’t pay attention to anything.
Symptoms:
- They won’t respond appropriately when in a conversation
- Have a problem with carrying out instructions
- Have poor organisation skills
- Difficulty reading an unknown word
- Fail to self-correct
Dyscalculia: Inability to process visual information. Some children are generally able to grasp different concepts but are unable to understand mathematical problems. It can cause different types of math difficulties. Symptoms may vary from child to child.
Symptoms:
- They face difficulty using steps involved in math problems
- Difficulty with calculations related to money
- Difficulty understanding fractions in math
- When adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing, they display difficulty
- Difficulty sequencing with the Information or events.
- Have trouble understanding and doing word problems.
- Problems comprehending the concept of time (days, weeks, months, seasons, quarters, etc.)
Dyslexia: It is a common cause of short term memory loss in children. “Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects a child’s ability to understand while reading, there is an unexpected relation to intelligence.
A dyslexic child’s auricular short term memory can be difficult. If your child is having or facing trouble with their short term memory, it would be a good idea to speak with a physician to rule out dyslexia or other learning disabilities.
Young Child:
Causes of Short term memory:
- Concussion.
- Lead poisoning.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder.
- Trauma.
- Mental disorders.
- Malnutrition.
- Tumours of the brain can cause short-term memory loss in your child.
If your child got hurt in an accident at home or school, it is essential to seek medical care as soon as possible to rule out temporary unconsciousness or confusion and other symptoms caused by a blow to the head. For immediate care and responsive treatment, please bring your child to Sai Siva Children’s Hospital.
Diagnosis and Treatment:
To appropriately diagnose memory loss, your doctor might order several tests, including:
- MRI
- CAT scan
- Blood work
Treatment may include regulating the dosage of anti-anxiety drugs, occupational therapy followed by behavioural therapy. These therapies help in correcting problems and preventing future complications. This treatment is provided at Sai Siva Children’s Hospital by speech therapists, paediatricians, ENT specialists, physiotherapists, and child psychologists also help.
How to Boost Short Term Memory of your Child?
You, as a parent, can also play a pivotal role in helping your child’s short term memory. Here are some tips you can begin to implement today:
1. Encourage your child to exercise regularly. It helps in cognitive function and memory and strengthen the connection between the left and the right side of the brain.
2. Make sure your child has a properly balanced diet. A well-balanced diet provides vital and essential nutrients like Omega 3 fatty acids; Vitamin E and C help boost memory. Deficiency of nutrients may cause memory loss.
3. Encourage your child to have a creative way to express himself. Encourage your child to participate in hobbies like painting, photography, writing, etc. These activities can help him fight stress and boost his memory.
4. Encourage him to enrol for a body and wellness training program. This sort of plan works best for those suffering from mild cognitive impairment.
5. Patience and Empathy. Dealing with a child suffering from a short-term memory loss requires a lot of patience, effort, and care. As a parent, you need to be supportive of your child.
Conclusion:
A child’s short term memory loss is no different than an adult’s short-term memory loss. Numerous reasons lead to short-term memory loss in children. There are various conditions of short-term memory loss; some affecting a child’s ability to memorize names, places or remembering an incident; some affecting a child’s ability to articulate; while some affect a child’s ability to learn mathematics.
Short-term memory needs medical attention from an experienced physician who is not just qualified to treat such a condition but also compassionate towards patients. The other important factor to be considered here is the family factor. The family, especially parents, have to be appreciative of their child the way they are, show support by encouraging their children to do what they love to do, and be as patient as possible.
To know more about the treatment options available for children suffering from short-term memory loss; please schedule an appointment with us at Sai Siva Children’s Hospital.