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.