Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a common learning issue that impacts kids’ ability to do math. It doesn’t just affect them at school, however. The challenges can also create difficulties in daily life. Dyscalculia, in broad terms, is a life-long learning disability pertaining to numbers and arithmetic skills. The media has been using words like digit dyslexia, number blindness and the obvious math dyslexia.

Symptoms of Dyscalculia:

Dyscalculia children and adults can also present with:

• difficulty counting backwards;
• difficulty remembering basic mathematical facts, even after many hours of practice and/or rote learning;
• difficulty in understanding place value and the role of zero in the Arabic/Hindu number system;
• difficulty ascertaining whether or not answers are right or nearly right;
• slow to perform calculations;
• difficulty imagining a mental number line;
• particular difficulty with subtraction, with addition often as the default operation;
• great anxiety when dealing with mathematics;
• difficulty reading;
• attention difficulties;
• problems with drawing, visualization and remembering, understanding time and direction;
• Poor coordination of movement (dyspraxia).

It’s important to note that reversing numbers is not a symptom of Dyscalculia. It is usually a normal developmental stage for children, and no cause for alarm. The same goes for remembering names – no evidence suggests that Dyscalculia is related to long-term verbal memory.

Causes of Dyscalculia:

Researchers don’t know exactly what causes dyscalculia. But they’ve identified certain factors that indicate it’s related to how the brain is structured and functions.

Here are some of the possible causes of dyscalculia:

·         Genes: Research shows that part of the difference in kids’ math scores can be explained by genes. In other words, differences in genetics may have an impact on whether a child has dyscalculia. Dyscalculia tends to run in families, which also suggests that genes play a role.

·         Brain development: Brain-imaging studies have shown some differences in brain function and structure in people with dyscalculia. The differences are in the surface area, thickness and volume of certain parts of the brain. There are also differences in the activation of areas of the brain associated with numerical and mathematical processing. These areas are linked to key learning skills, such as memory and planning.

·         Environment: Dyscalculia has been linked to fetal alcohol syndrome. Prematurity and low birth weight may also play a role in dyscalculia.

·         Brain injury: Studies show that injury to certain parts of the brain can result in what researchers call acquired dyscalculia.