Dyscalculia (A Detailed Overview)
By
OptimistMinds
As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.
Author bio
The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
This article is based on a detailed overview of Dyscalculia, which will cover all the necessary information related to the disorder.
The points that will be focused in this article include defining the disease, symptoms, risk factors and treatment, etc.
Dyscalculia is mainly a condition that directly affects the cognitive ability, and an individual cannot acquire the skills of mathematics.
People suffering from Dyscalculia face difficulty in understanding the concept of pure numbers, as they lack an intuitive grasp of numbers.
They do face problems in learning and remembering the names, procedures, and facts, etc.
What is Dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia is known as a neurological disorder. It is a condition in which children face difficulties in solving math equations.
They are unable to solve simple equations of math, and they do not remember the methods and procedures to solve them.
A simple comparison of arithmetic is impossible for them to explain and understand.
These children are unable to handle math equations from their childhood.
According to the experts, this is a common problem, and every 5 out of 10 percent of children face this problem in general.
Boys and girls both genders are included in Dyscalculia.
Some experts call it dyslexia of numbers of dyslexia of math.
Dyscalculia is mainly a challenge for children in solving math.
Those children suffering from solving from their childhood will continue to face this problem until they become adults.
In all levels of education, these children face difficulties in solving math calculations.
Learning addition is as tricky for them as algebra. Basic things of math become a real challenge for them to answer.
This Dyscalculia becomes difficult for people to solve and to handle everyday tasks and homework for math.
There are different strategies for facing these challenges and make it easy to understand basic math and makes it easy to understand and solve.
Causes of Dyscalculia
There are no such specific causes of Dyscalculia. But it has been believed that the brain of these people is structured differently.
And the way their brain functions. This disorder of Dyscalculia is related to neurology.
According to the research, this disorder mostly happens with children who are born with low birth weight.
Children suffering from this disorder have some brain damage.
Studies have suggested that children suffering from Dyscalculia do not have any other disease or mental illness.
Their brain performs a limited activity in the parietal and frontal parts of the brain.
These areas of the brain are generally linked or associated with the cognition of mathematics.
The causes of this disorder are very less; that is why it is essential to focus on the symptoms.
The following are two possible reasons for Dyscalculia are given as under.
1. Genes and Heredity
The disorder of Dyscalculia rends to run in the families.
The research has shown that a part has been played by genetics in facing a problem with math.
2. Brain Development
According to a research study, it has been shown that some differences are displayed with and without people suffering from this Dyscalculia disorder.
The difference is notified in such an area of the brain in people with or without this disorder is that the way that the city of learning skills is structured.
The method of functioning of the brain also matters.
There are researches made to make such strategies and way that can make handling math easier for these people suffering from Dyscalculia disorder.
Signs and Symptoms of Dyscalculia
People are suffering from Dyscalculia disorder, mostly found in trouble, while solving any math equation.
The signs of this disorder mainly vary from person to person. They also look different by the ages.
The initial symptoms are that individual face problems in number sensing right from their preschool.
Following are some of the universal signs of Dyscalculia:
- They face difficulty while counting backwards,
- They have a lot of difficulty in remembering or memorizing basic factual accounts,
- They face difficulty in understanding that in number form and words, both are the same, and they both mean the same.
- They experience chronic mathematics anxiety,
- They also find it hard to perform arithmetic tasks mentally and have difficulty while doing calculations,
- They have a diminished sense of estimation and numeric functions,
- Have difficulty in counting the money and giving back change.
- They are usually unable to understand or face extreme difficulty in grasping the logic behind mathematical calculations.
Some people with Dyscalculia disorder are considered bad or poor in math, but no one figures out that this child might be having some problems related to it and may experience severe distress due to this.
The symptoms become more evident when the child faces difficulty in sensing the number when they start studying proper math.
How to Diagnose Dyscalculia?
There is only one way to diagnose Dyscalculia is by doing an evaluation.
This evaluation test can be done at any age. This evaluation test is different for kids and adults according to their level.
Kids can easily be get evaluated in their school that is for free.
But for those who want an evaluation privately so they can get it for kids and adults.
Evaluating personally can be costly, so you can have a low-cost assessment that can be done quickly.
A set of different tests are used for evaluating Dyscalculia. It is not primarily to diagnose Dyscalculia.
Still, it has been found that people with this disorder might face difficulties in other challenges of life that mainly includes reading or working memory.
This test is beneficial, and once the disease is diagnosed, so these people get complete support in solving the math, professional field, and in their everyday life as well.
Treatment for Dyscalculia
For Dyscalculia, there is no such medical treatment found.
It does not mean that nothing can be done to help people suffering from this disorder.
There are different specialists and expert in this disorder like educational psychologists, learning specialists, and neuropsychologists have recommended some of the given treatments for Dyscalculia as these methods will help the children to understand math easily.
Different programs are being organized by the psychological services for implementing the plans of interventions for children that are facing the learning disorders.
This program is to make learning possible and easier for these children.
Children who are at a high level of risk with failure in literacy, so our therapists are specialized in these therapy programs.
This will make learning possible for the children, and they will easily be able to handle different challenges of life.
The professionals of psychology work with various professionals that includes speech therapists and occupational therapists for making treatment possible for the children and making things possible for them.
Some of the specialized services that are provided are.
- Child Psychologists and Counselling Programs Behavior Management
- Parent Training
There are no such medications for treating the Dyscalculia.
But there are several ways to deal with the child and making math more accessible for children to understand and solve.
The instructions of Multisensory will help the Dyscalculia children to understand the concepts of math.
Accommodations that include using assistive technology and manipulatives can make math easy to understand and solve.
Different formals programs are organized for the struggling students of math.
The multisensory instruction program helps in improving the senses, and they approach the areas of touch, sight, movement, hearing, etc.
This helps in making the skills of students better and make them understand certain concepts.
By using the techniques of multisensory, students can quickly learn math and understand the main ideas of math that will help them know it very well.
Logically these techniques help in understanding concepts, and one skill will help in building the next power.
The objects are used to clarify the math concept and make equations easier to understand.
This is best for developing number sense in children, and their learning will become stronger.
By using different tools, the concept of addition, subtraction, counting numbers becomes understandable.
Educational interventions are being used in schools to make the math skill of children better.
Assistive technology is also beneficial. There are different AT Tools that help in making learning better, and children can use it in school and at home.
These are some of the ways by using them; you can make your child better in understanding math.
This disorder cannot be finished, but you can use psychological ways to deal with these children and adults.
Helpful Resources
- Those facing difficulties in learning math can get best guidance from The Dyscalculia Toolkit: Supporting Learning Difficulties in Maths
- 2. Calculation will become easy when you will solve math puzzle by The Dyscalculia Resource Book: Games and Puzzles for ages 7 to 14
- This book has complete guidance for those struggling with math Overcoming Difficulties with Number: Supporting Dyscalculia and Students who Struggle with Maths
- For children and adult this is best guidance for Dyscalculia It Just Doesn’t Add Up: Explaining Dyscalculia and Overcoming Number Problems for Children and Adults
- Best guideline book for children difficulty in math can go through The Math Handbook for Students with Math Difficulties, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia or ADHD: Grades 1-7
Conclusion
Dyscalculia is a disorder that is related to Neuro.
Children and adults both face difficulty in understanding math, and they do not get the concept of math, whatever it is.
This is because of the structure of their brain in which the area of learning is different from ordinary people.
This disorder is commonly found in both genders.
There are various symptoms for this disorder, and few treatments are recommended in which psychologist therapy and counseling plays a vital role.
This can be covered if the child will be given proper attention. Some tools are available to clarify the concept of math.
People can easily give their children proper psychological treatment by getting the right instruments and tools to make them learn math properly.
This will help them in understanding math better.
This disorder can be handled in the childhood otherwise it will lead to adulthood.
By using these ways and methods we can give a better future to our children.
FAQ
What are the signs of dyscalculia?
The main sign of Dyscalculia disorder is that the child will not get or understand the concept of math.
It is challenging to know the difference between numbers and words and their meanings.
How common is dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia is found in 5 percent of people out of 10 percent.
Now it has become widespread in both genders.
Can you have dyslexia and dyscalculia?
Yes, in both disorders, learning and understanding math is difficult.
They are not able to know or remember the numbers, and they found trouble in remembering each name or calculation
Can dyscalculia be cured?
Yes, Dyscalculia can be cured only by psychological treatments, and different tools are available to make math learning better and understandable for children.
Is dyscalculia genetic?
Yes, Dyscalculia is a genetic disorder.
Many children are facing this disorder due to problems in genes.
How is dyscalculia treated?
Dyscalculia can be treated through psychotherapy or counselling.
Different programs are organized for children with this disorder.
Instruments are also used to treat children to get proper learning and understanding math.
Resources
- What is Dyscalculia
- What is Dyscalculia
- Dyscalculia
- How to Spot Dyscalculia?
- Treatment for Kids With Dyscalculia
Was this helpful?
Take Control of Your Mental Health and Live Your Best Life with BetterHelp Online Therapy
