- Dyscalculia is a specific learning disorder in mathematics that affects a student’s ability to understand, learn, and perform math and number-based operations.
- Despite being fairly common (5-7% of elementary school students), math LDs are often overlooked. It is very important for parents, especially those whose child has a language-based disability, to pay close attention to their child’s progress in math.
- A learning disorder in math tends to become more evident as kids get older. However, the symptoms can appear as early as preschool.
What to look for?
Young Children:
- Difficulty recognizing numbers
- Difficulty learning to count
- Struggles to connect numerical symbols (5) with their corresponding words (five)
- Difficulty recognizing patterns (shortest to tallest) and placing things in order
Older Children:
- Significant difficulty learning and automatically recalling basic math facts (2×3, 7+3)
- Need to use visual aids (like fingers) to help count; trouble with mental math
- Inconsistent computation; errors due to misreading signs, misaligning problems, carrying numbers incorrectly
- Trouble with math word problems (unable to grasp concepts and understand terminology)
- Trouble with multi-step problems and sequences
- Poor memory (retention and retrieval) of math concepts (may be able to perform math operations one day but draw a blank the next day)
- Struggle to process visual-spatial tasks, like graphs, charts, and tables
If you think your child may have a learning disability, do not wait! Schedule a consultation to discuss your concerns and determine if testing is warranted.