Mr. Peabody, the Harvard-educated, cartoon canine professor (he graduated years before Dr. Oz), has an IQ that's so high, some say he's the world's smartest person! So it may surprise you that as a pup Mr. Peabody is rumored to have had working (aka "short term") memory problems.

Luckily, you can teach a young (or old) dog new tricks! Mr. P trained his mind to hold onto incoming information so he could use it to his advantage ... and the rest is animation history.

Working memory problems have nothing to do with IQ - nor, in many instances, with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). But they do make it difficult for kids to hone their reading skills or master math.

Most children identified as "poor readers" or "arithmetic disabled" have problems with working memory.

If you suspect your child has working memory challenges:

-Reduce sensory overload: No TV while doing homework; no music while reading.

-Work with your child's strengths: If she's skilled visually, but doesn't listen well, convey information through images more than spoken words.

-Help your child focus on one task at a time; sequential multitasking works; overlapping does not.

-Teach "chunking": grouping instructions or information into bite-size packages to be digested one at a time. Ask teachers to do that with their instructions, too.

-Encourage physical activity. It improves working memory. Provide brain fuel with DHA-omega-3 rich foods and supplements.

-Get your child evaluated by a professional; then don't automatically opt for medication! And for more info check out the National Center for Learning Disabilities website: www.ncld.org.

© 2014 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.