How to Spot Dyscalculia

Q: What is dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a word used to describe specific learning disabilities that affect a child’s ability to understand, learn, and perform math and number-based operations.

Q: What is math dyslexia called?

Math dyslexia is called dyscalculia. Math dyslexia or dyscalculia refers to a learning disability that makes it hard for children to understand and learn number-based activities.

Q: What are some signs of dyscalculia?

Some of the signs of dyscalculia are that a child is slow to learn to count or recognize numbers. Later, they may have trouble with word problems, reading a clock, and learning math concepts.

When math difficulties mean something more

Writer: Rae Jacobson

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What You'll Learn

What is dyscalculia?
Are all math problems dyscalculia?
How does dyscalculia affect kids?

Quick Read

Lots of kids struggle with math. But if your child’s math troubles are serious and don’t seem to get better, they may be a sign of something called dyscalculia.

Dyscalculia is a learning disability that makes it hard for kids to understand, learn and do math. Boys and girls are equally likely to have dyscalculia. It usually begins to show as soon as children start math classes in school. Dyscalculia is a specific learning disorder, which means it only affects how children learn math. A child with dyscalculia may do well in other subjects — like English or history — and still struggle in classes that use math.

Not all problems with math — even serious ones — are caused by dyscalculia. Disorders like dyslexia, visual or auditory processing issues, and ADHD can also make it hard to learn math. So what should parents watch for? Young kids with dyscalculia might have trouble recognizing numbers, learning to count, or recognizing basic patterns.

As kids get older they might have trouble remembering numbers (like zip codes or game scores) and have a hard time telling left from right or figuring out distances. Other signs include struggling with things like making change, reading clocks, or figuring out how long a task will take.

Full Article

7 min read

Lots of kids struggle with math, but for some the difficulties go beyond a little bit of frustration. If your child’s math troubles are serious — and persistent — they may be a sign of a learning disorder called dyscalculia.

What is dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a term used to describe specific learning disabilities that affect a child’s ability to understand, learn, and perform math and number-based operations.

How common is dyscalculia?

Though research on prevalence is limited, it’s estimated that between 5 and 7% of elementary school aged children may have dyscalculia. It’s also currently thought that dyscalculia occurs equally in both genders.

Are all math difficulties caused by dyscalculia?

No. Not all difficulties in math class — even serious ones — are caused by dyscalculia. Disorders like dyslexia, visual or auditory processing, ADHD, and others can also impact a child’s ability to meet expectations in completing math problems. It’s also possible for kids who do have dyscalculia to have other learning disabilities as well. Many do.

What to look for

A young child with dyscalculia may:

Have difficulty recognizing numbers
Be delayed in learning to count
Struggle to connect numerical symbols (5) with their corresponding words (five)
Have difficulty recognizing patterns and placing things in order
Lose track when counting
Need to use visual aids — like fingers — to help count

And as math becomes a major part of the school day, kids with dyscalculia are likely to:

Have significant difficulty learning basic math functions like addition and subtraction, times tables, and more
Be unable to grasp the concepts behind word problems and other non-numerical math calculations
Have difficulty estimating how long it will take to complete a task
Struggle with math homework assignments and tests
Have difficulty keeping at grade level in math
Struggle to process visual-spatial ideas like graphs and charts

The impact of dyscalculia doesn’t stop when math class ends. The disorder can also affect kids outside of school. Children with dyscalculia also:

Have trouble remembering numbers such as zip codes, phone numbers, or game scores
Struggle with money matters such as making change, counting bills, calculating a tip, splitting a check or estimating how much something will cost
Have difficulty judging the length of distances and how long it will take to get from one location to another
Struggle to remember directions
Have a hard time telling left from right
Get easily frustrated by games that require consistent score keeping, number strategies or counting
Have difficulty reading clocks and telling time

A noticeable gap

The biggest sign of a specific learning disorder is a notable discrepancy between ability and aptitude. A kid with dyscalculia may preform well in other subjects — such as English or history — but have very low grades in math and math-based classes.

What’s the proper name for dyscalculia?

In the DSM-5, dyscalculia is called “specific learning disability with impairment in mathematics,” but “dyscalculia” is still an accepted term and is used by schools and learning specialists.

How is dyscalculia diagnosed?

There is no specific test for dyscalculia. Taking the following steps can help you get your child the help and accommodations they need.

Visit your doctor: Rule out any medical issues such as hearing or vision impairment that could be impacting your child’s learning process.
Consult with your teacher: Ask your child’s math teacher to note the areas where they have the most trouble and any and all strategies that help.
Ask about other areas: It’s estimated that as many as half of kids with dyscalculia also have another learning issue. Understanding your child’s complete learning profile will help you advocate for their needs
Consult a specialist: Once you’ve done the groundwork, talk to a learning professional who can evaluate your child and give you specific feedback on how to help.