Why Does My Child Forget Everything? Can I Help Improve Their Memory?

Many kids forget things—but some struggle more than others to remember important details. That can be especially challenging when it comes to school, homework, and learning. How can anyone improve memory? What strategies should you consider?

Memory problems can come in all shapes and sizes. When kids are simply too excited or too anxious, it can be harder for them to pay attention or retain key information. Sometimes, it’s as simple as that. At other times, recurring memory issues can be rooted in neurodivergences, such as ADHD or autism.  

Understanding the “why” behind your learner’s forgetfulness is a first step to improving memory. The strategies and support they need will often be dictated by the underlying cause. 

Let’s review a few common sources of memory problems, and what might help your learner.

The How and Why of Memory Issues

5 Common Causes of Memory Issues for Kids

When kids struggle to pay attention, retain details from a lesson, or follow instructions, working memory is often the culprit. This brain function allows us to hold onto information while completing a task.

If your learner is showing signs of poor working memory, here are a few potential causes:

• Age.
  As kids grow, their working memory can improve as part of their cognitive development. Younger kids may naturally experience more challenges with memory.
• Neurodiversity.
  Memory issues can be one symptom of learning differences like autism or ADHD. This is something a doctor can help to identify.
• Physical health.
  When kids have recurring memory issues, it can stem from a lack of sleep, a poor diet, or even a physical injury (such as a concussion).
• Stress.
  If a person is stressed, it can have an impact on overall brain function—including their ability to remember. 
• Trauma.
  When a learner is dealing with trauma, it can impair their memory short-term. This kind of trauma can come from bullying or other causes of emotional and physical distress.

Want To Improve Memory? Start With These 3 Things

If you want to help improve memory, it’s rarely an overnight process. Instead, here are a few steps you can take to support your child:

• Speak to their doctor.
  First and foremost, it’s important to understand what’s happening—and your child’s doctor can help with that. They can help you take steps to eliminate or identify certain underlying factors, such as ADHD, injuries, or other concerns.
• Let the school know.
  From there, you’ll want to loop in your child’s educators. That way, your learner won’t have to struggle with any difficulties on their own but can receive additional classroom support. Their school can help to set up any necessary accommodations, such as an IEP.
• Consider extra support.
  Depending on the source of your child’s memory problems, different supports may have a different effect. For certain cognitive differences, medication may be helpful. You may want to consider other strategies, too, such as one-on-one brain training. 

Improve Memory Skills with LearningRx

For students who want to improve memory, LearningRx can help. We understand that working memory is just another cognitive skill—a skill that can be targeted, practiced, and honed over time.

Through one-on-one brain training, we help students of all ages to improve memory skills. Our trainers can work with those who have ADHD or other types of neurodiversity,  as well as learners of any age who wish to improve their abilities.  

We personalize our approach based on the needs and abilities of each unique learner, so students can get the hands-on support they need to thrive!

Find out more about how one-on-on-one brain training can improve memory for your learner. To locate your local LearningRx, visit us online or contact 866-BRAIN-01 today!