Dyscalculia

• Dyscalculia is a neurodevelopmental learning disorder.

• Pronunciations: Dys-cal-Q-lia and Dys-cal-Q-lic.

• It impedes an individual’s ability to understand numbers and give value to them, do math related calculations and number-based problems.

• DSM-5: Lists it as a specific learning disability with impairment in mathematics. Does not refer to it as Dyscalculia, but it is a term and name accepted by professionals.

• Often it is detected in early childhood (usually age 6-9, but can be earlier), and stays into adulthood.

• Dyscalculia is relatively unknown still, yet widespread. Many don’t realize they have Dyscalculia, or that it is a real disorder.

• 3-7% of the population is affected by it. Some predictions are as high as 10% to 26%.

• Severity ranges on a scale - it is on a spectrum determined by age, mathematical experience and grasp of number sense.

• It does not affect intelligence.

Symptoms include trouble with:

• Recognizing numbers and their different forms - their numerical representation (5), word representation (five), their name “five”( plus being able to say it), and realizing they connect to a real value or quantity (5 apples).

• Number sense - ability to understand, relate to, and connect numbers.

• Sequencing (remembering sequences, and how to sequence).

• Memorizing order of things (and understanding the importance of it).

• Recognizing and understanding patterns (numerical, mathematical, shapes, and more).

• Subitizing (looking at a quantity and quickly knowing how many by looking).

• Learning and remembering basic math facts and beyond.

• Recalling math formulas.

• Understanding the rules of math.

• Performing mental math (including simple arithmetic and problems).

• Counting and doing math problems without aids such as counting with fingers, number lines (1-10), number tables (1 to 100), multiplication charts, physically moving objects/touching them to count, calculators and more.

• Solving word problems and non-numerical math calculations (graphs, charts, dates and more).

• Working memory (heavily taxed).

• Left-Right confusion.

• Automaticity and building familiarity - Every math problem (and all their math-steps) look like new math problems.

• Attaining consistent results.

• Keeping grade-level math standards.

Dyscalculia can challenge everyday life on a large scale for many who live with it. The examples below outline some of the developmental and real world context and struggles.

Dycalculia can cause difficulties with:

perception of time (how it moves and passes) ● understanding how much time it takes to complete a task ● how long it takes to get ready ● figuring out time needed to get from place to place ● arriving unprepared ● persistent tardiness ● left-right confusion ● trouble with directions ● reading large numbers ● naming large numbers ● telling time ● military time ● reading an analog clock (with dials) ● calculating difference in time ● days of the week ● months ● working with dates and calendars ● measuring ● measuring quantities ● cooking and baking (time, quantities, measurements) ● portioning ● medication timing ● measuring dosages ● estimating ● looking at a group of objects and knowing how many ● judging distance ● speed ● temperature ● mathematical quantities (area, volume, depth, etc.) ● money (value, coins, bills, decimal equivalency) ● calculating cost ● paying bills ● money transactions (how much to give, making change) ● tipping ● using coins ● menus ● ordering at restaurants ● currency exchange ● banking ● maps and coordinates ● figuring out bus and train schedules ● how much money to feed the parking meter ● calculating payroll, wages and number of hours worked ● reading and understanding charts ● polls ● game, player, and news stats ● stocks ● shopping for supplies ● budgeting ● investing ● keeping score ● playing games (board games, card games, dice, dominos) ● quick mental math and math facts ● remembering phone numbers and number-oriented details ● self-confidence ● social settings (huge social impact)

Math and number sense can be hard for many, and made harder with Dycalculia.

It affects school-aged children (sometimes younger) and older students with their ability to:

• Learn numbers - say and remember 1 to 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 (names are all unique).

• Count in order (1-10, 1-20, 1-100).

• Learn to skip count (2’s, 5’s, 10’s, 25’s, 100’s) and skip count without starting from the beginning.

• Count fluently (forward and backwards, from any starting number).

• Recognize numbers and their different forms: 5 (numerical), five (written), “five” (spoken), 5 objects.

• Give numerical value and meaning to objects (five apples).

• Comprehend all number forms are the same value/quantity: 5 = five = ”five” = 5 apples = 5 cars = 5 objects = $5.00.

• Establish order of things - first to last, least to greatest, smallest to biggest and more.

• Organize numbers by scale and decimal places (10, 100, 1000, 10 000 and 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001).

• Read, write, copy and say numbers correctly (especially large ones), along with their decimal places.

• Grasp whole numbers vs. decimals and fractions.

• Remember that an invisible decimal exists at the end of a whole number (important for money and decimal-related math exercises).

• Identify and understand place values (position and worth) - especially 10’s position and decimal places (tenths, hundredths, thousandths). “8” in the 10’s place represents 80, not 8 for example.

• Increase and decrease numbers by 1 unit easily.

• Round numbers and decimals.

• Reverse order and sequences in general.

• Learn days of the week, and months.

• Tell time and solve time-related problems.

• Recognize patterns - Understand that after Sunday, you begin anew with Monday, that after December, you begin again with January, that after 00:59 seconds, or minutes for example, a new minute or hour starts and resets to :00.

• Learn basic arithmetic +, -, ×, ÷ . Something as simple as 1+1 =2 can be challenging.

• Learn symbols and names for math operations.

• Do mental math (simple and more).

• Hold numbers in their mind.

• Perform basic arithmetic without using fingers, number lines, number charts, times table charts, touching and moving objects, and other aids. to calculate or keep organized.

• Remember math facts (rule of doubles 3 + 3 = 6, 5+5 =10 for example).

• Understand number bonds ( 1 + 6 =7 and that 6+1 = 7 for example).

• Connect Number Families: +/- and ×/ ÷ (3+4=7, 4+3=7, 7-4=3, 7-3=4).

• Figure out other general number relationships and how to manipulate them.

• Remember math rules - stepwise direction for adding and subtracting, carry the 1 for adding, when to borrow “10” from your neighbour if subtracting, which digit to write down if double digits and doing algorithm method and more.

• Organize numbers into tables, graphs and charts.

• Visualize numbers and quantities.

• Estimate numbers and quantities.

• Group things quickly and also mentally.

• Subitize - Recognize quantities quickly by look (dice, cards, how many place settings, how many people n a room)

• Solve multi-step problems, and keep track.

• Solve word problems.

• Solve non numerical problems like dates, days of the week and months.

• See the whole math problem - The bigger picture.

• Recognize that a math problem is not novel - they have done it before.

• Recognize that number problems can be represented in different ways, - in a sequence, vertically in a table, horizontally in a chart, in a graph - but remain the same set of numbers that require the same steps needed to problem solve.

• Dyscalculics are part of the neurodiversity community.

• Early interventions can help increase math and number fluency.

• Dyscalculia affects males and females equally.

• Co-morbity with other learning disabilities is very common (Dyslexia, ADHD, and Dyspraxia, for example), but can be a standalone diagnosis .

• It can be acquired through trauma or medical conditions later in life, but is referred to as “Acalculia”.

• Not all problems with math lead to Dyscalculia. Audio or visual processing problems , age, attention issues, and poor instruction for example can be the cause.

• Anxiety, low-self esteem, and depression can have a strong impact on Dyscalculics - the cyclical, negative feedback loop between their disorder (struggles with math) and their emotional state, can plague their progress.

• Math anxiety and not performing well does not mean an individual has Dyscalculia. However, for a Dyscalculic, math anxiety can severely worsen difficulties caused by dyscalculia.

• Can be mistakenly misdiagnosed for ADHD or other disorders, or missed completely.

Personal insights, stories, and conversations highlighting the difficulties of life with Dyscalculia can be found at the bottom of the page: Dyscalculia Blog.

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