Some children may have trouble remembering how things look. This type of memory is often referred to clinically as visual memory. Visual memory is involved with remembering places.
Some children with these challenges get lost easily, even when they have been to locations many times before.
You may feel like you can never take your eye off your child at the mall or other public place. You may become nervous at a zoo or very crowded venue because your child will wander off and forget where he is.
Your child may forget that she has been to this house, even though you have been to it several times. It may be that your child goes to the neighborhood park and cannot navigate the way home.
Games requiring quick thinking and visual strategies, such as chess or checkers, may be hard for him or her. Children with poor visual memory may not be able to read a map or to follow directions.
It may be hard for your child to understand a direction like, ‘go up the stop-sign and make a right.’ Or, maybe your teenager forgets the way to the grocery store that is just down the street.
What do challenges with Memory For Places look like?
- Getting lost at the supermarket?
- Forgetting the way to walk to school?
- Not recognizing familiar landmarks?
- Struggling with telling his right hand from his left?
- Not understanding north, south, east, and west?
- Getting lost at school?
- Feeling terrified in new places?
- Struggling with board games like memory?
- Not remembering that she has been to a certain house before?
Why is Memory For Places happening?
If your child is forgetting familiar places, this generally is related to an issue with visual-spatial cognition. That is, the ability to see where things go. Kids with these challenges may get lost in the school building or while walking home from school. This is only an issue if your child is truly struggling or getting lost often. If that is the case, one of these issues may be the culprit.
- Visual Sequencing means visually putting things in order or noticing the visual pattern. Children with these challenges may have trouble remembering how objects look or where they are supposed to go; such as the patterns found in reading and math.
- Visual Tracking means following words on a page as you read or an object as it moves through space. Children with these difficulties may have trouble reading and may not be able to catch a ball.
- Visual Perception refers to recognizing and perceiving visual stimuli effectively. Children with these challenges are having general problems seeing objects the way others do.
- Visual Planning means scanning and thinking through moves and visualizing what something will look like when a move has been made. Children with these problems may struggle in sports that require strategy and may avoid games like basketball or football where they must remember plays or visual instructions.
Children who struggle with any of the visual skills mentioned may require assessment by a developmental ophthalmologist or eye doctor. Some types of vision therapy or occupational therapy can help with eye tracking problems.
How can I manage Memory For Places at home?
Visual memory can be a significant problem for many children. The important factor to consider is whether or not your child’s memory problems are interfering with schoolwork or friendships.
Children with learning problems may need help in either reading or math because remembering patterns and sequences is important in these subjects. For example, spelling may be very challenging if your child struggles with visual memory. Math facts may also be a challenge.
If the child has experienced a traumatic event, memory can be impacted. In this case, the child should be seen by a psychologist right away.
More moderate symptoms may be treated by a vision therapist.
Finally, if the child’s problems are milder and are not currently ‘getting in the way,’ visual memory may not be cause for major concern. Instead, parents and educators may help children by teaching strategies for remembering.
For example, it may help to prime the child in advance by telling him what he will see and prompting him to remember it.
You might say, ‘Now, we haven’t been here before. You will need to remember this place tomorrow. What landmarks do you see? How will you remember to turn right at the end of this hall?’
Further, children with poor visual memory may be more kinesthetic or emotional learners. That is, they may need to attach meaning or feeling to a place before remembering it. In that case, parents and educators can help by telling the child about the meaning and significance of a place.
How can Clear Child Psychology help with Memory For Places?
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Our Assessments allow us to determine your child’s specific strengths and challenges. We can use this information to develop a customized support plan which includes: referrals
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Once we understand your child’s needs, we will help families get connected to the right specialists. No more guesswork, no more wasted time and resources.
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Our Coaching Packages allow us to continually support families as they continue their journeys. Parental coaching, life-skills practice, and school advocacy are just a few examples of ways we help.
