Dementia illnesses such as Alzheimer's are the leading cause of short-term memory loss in adults. However, when children do not remember recent events, the cause is not always as clear. It may be the result of single event or problem, such as a concussion, or part of a more serious health condition.
Concussion
Head injuries are more common in children than previously though. Infants and toddlers bang their heads regularly as they learn to control their neck, head and other body parts. MayoClinic.com reports that they are more difficult to diagnose in those age groups because of young children's inability to specifically communicate their symptoms. Concussions are more common in school-aged children who participate in sports. Dr. Jonathan Finnoff, an osteopathic doctor and sports medicine specialist with the Mayo Clinic, writes that concussions can create memory problems for children, and recommends using a helmet to protect children from mild blows to the head that can trigger symptoms such as short-term memory loss.
Type 2 Diabetes
A 2010 study conducted by American and Canadian researchers found that obese children with type 2 diabetes may not develop as well cognitively as non-diabetic children. Doctors at New York University tested the attention skills and cognition of 36 obese teenagers, half of whom had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The results showed that the diabetic children had lesser attention, memory and planning skills, and scored lower on intelligence tests. It is believed that diabetes may affect the delivery of blood to the brain.
Lead Poisioning
Prior to its national ban in 1978, lead was a primary ingredient in house paint. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 24 million homes in America have lead paint deterioration, leading to lead dust and flakes which can be touched, inhaled or eaten. According to the nonprofit organization Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, lead can hinder cognitive development in children at the lowest levels of exposure.
Brain Tumor
The American Brain Tumor Association reports that while childhood and adult brain tumors operate differently, many of the symptoms are the same. Cancers affecting the frontal lobe--where short-term and working memories are stored--affect the ability to retain new information. Oliodendroglioma and glioblastoma multiforme are two types of brain tumors that impact the frontal lobe and short-term memory.
