Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia belongs to the group of learning disorders, which affect a person’s ability to acquire and use functions such as reading or arithmetic.

Learning disabilities do not correspond to physical or mental impairments and do not reflect the child’s intelligence. However, these disorders affect their ability to use certain tools, which is important and can interfere with their school performance.

The most common learning disorders are dyslexia, which disturbs reading, dyscalculia, which interferes with approaching mathematical concepts, and non-verbal learning difficulties, related to coordination and body language. These disorders can exist simultaneously in the same child.

The term dyscalculia derives from acalculia, which corresponds to an acquired disorder of the ability to perform mathematical operations, after these have consolidated. It is found mainly in children, it has an evolutionary character or is related to development and is associated above all with difficulties in mathematics, more specifically in learning to calculate. But it can manifest itself at the level of reading, writing, numbers or symbols, mathematical concepts and rules, memorizing facts and concepts, and also in abstract reasoning. They may also be associated with problems learning to tell time or dealing with money.

Symptoms of Dyscalculia 

It can be difficult to correctly identify a learning disability. Telltale signs of dyscalculia include a number of difficulties:

• Number identification (visual and auditory)
• In establishing a reciprocal correspondence (counting objects and associating a number with each one)
• In perceiving sets and quantities
• in the calculation
• In understanding the concept of measurement
• In learning the hours
• In understanding the value of coins
• Understanding mathematical language and symbols
• In solving oral problems

Dyscalculia can be associated with poor visual-spatial organization and non-verbal integration (children cannot quickly distinguish differences between shapes, sizes, quantities and lengths), difficulties in observing groups of objects and saying which one contains a greater number of elements, in calculating distances, disturbances in body image, disorientation (in the left-right distinction), in social perception and in the realization of judgments and a performance in intelligence tests superior in verbal functions compared to non-verbal functions verbal.

Children with learning disabilities may have more difficulties understanding and following instructions, remembering what they are told, exhibit poor coordination in walking, sports or even simple gestures such as holding a pencil, easily lose or misplace their books and homework, misunderstands the concept of time, tends to be reluctant to perform tasks involving reading, writing, or math, and may exhibit hostile or defiant behavior toward these duties.

Causes of Dyscalculia

These disorders can have a hereditary basis, result from medical conditions, due to alcohol or drug consumption during pregnancy which can result in poor intrauterine growth, head injuries, or environmental factors such as exposure to high levels of lead.

Dyscalculia occurs in association with genetic diseases such as Turner, Williams or fragile X chromosome syndrome.

It is also more common in children with dyslexia, attention deficit and hyperactivity.

Diagnosis

It is important that this diagnosis be made as early as possible, to avoid school delays and frustrations for the child.

However, there is no test that identifies the problem at the brain level. Therefore, distinguishing between a difficulty in mathematical concepts or dyscalculia requires a set of criteria.

It is important not to forget that difficulties in mathematics can result from inadequate teaching, changes in attention, anxiety, among other factors. Thus, in order to diagnose dyscalculia, it is important not only to identify a real and persistent difficulty in mathematical concepts, but also to exclude these other aspects. To this end, several tests have been created that must be administered by a specialist.

Treatment

Early intervention is essential because learning disorders tend to be a true “snowball”, in which some difficulties generate others, affecting the child’s entire school performance, causing anxiety, depression, loss of self-esteem and motivation.

In view of the suspicion of dyscalculia, it is important to request an evaluation by a psychologist to confirm this diagnosis. It is essential to exclude other causes, such as vision or hearing problems.

Much of the treatment involves closer, individualized and professional monitoring of these children, so that they can improve their performance and maintain a good academic performance.

In some cases, such as depression or anxiety, medication may be necessary.

Although learning difficulties tend to be long-lasting, it is important to remain hopeful. Early intervention will always be more effective and should involve both the family and the school.

In everyday life there are small activities that can be useful in stimulating mathematical reasoning, such as card or board games. It is necessary to encourage the child to use numbers on a daily basis, for example, counting the products in the supermarket, counting in descending order, or using songs and rhymes with numbers. In fact, many children can learn and memorize math concepts faster when music, rhyme and rhythm are used in their teaching.