Understanding Dyscalculia in Children: What It Is, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Let’s understand more about Dyscalculia in Children by navigating through this post explaining the possible causes, symptoms and treatments.
Dyscalculia is a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to do maths or number-related problems. It is developed at an early age, but adults can also suffer from this disorder without knowing it. This situation is treatable with the right interventions. Therefore, if your child is not doing well in maths, you should get their condition diagnosed.
Pressing students with dyscalculia can make the things even worse. It is crucial to get dyscalculia difficulties treated as soon as you get to know about it. If not, it can affect the person’s socio-personal life as well. Let’s understand more about it by navigating through this post explaining the possible causes, symptoms and treatments.
What Does Dyscalculia Disability?
Dyscalculia is a learning disability that can hamper one’s ability to handle number based problems or maths. It can affect the functioning of the area that regulates the maths or number related skills. Its symptoms can be seen from childhood. However, there is a different form that appears in the later stage of life.
Dyscalculia doesn’t imply that people with a math learning disability are less intelligent than others. Sometimes, the symptoms are hard to observe. Lack of awareness is also one of the possible reasons due to which the problem is not addressed properly. Dyscalculia difficulties can result in other difficult feelings as well, such as anxiety or depression.
Is Dyscalculia Similar To Dyslexia?
Dyslexia learning disabilities are different from dyscalculia. Dyslexia is a learning disability, which affects the reading ability of a person. Besides, dyslexia learning disabilities can also affect a person’s ability to write and spell. Dyscalculia on the other hand affects one’s ability to do maths. However, both falls under the category of the learning disorders.
How Does Dyscalculia Affect The Brain?
People with math disorder dyscalculia become neurodivergent, which means their brains act differently from what is the standard societal definition of the normal. Also, their brains process information differently from other people. For instance, one can perform a simple mathematical sum with the utmost ease. However, if the brain is differently channeled to deal with numbers, some children experience discomfort with problems based on numbers. Any of the following processes can be affected:
Visual Processing
When your eyes see a maths problem, it sends the components back to the brain for the further processing.
Short-Term Memory
When working on a maths problem, short term memory is used to hold onto the specific things related to the problem, such as signs, numbers, sequences, etc.
Language
Thereafter, the received information, such as words and signs are translated in the problem with what they mean, such as addition, subtraction, percentage, question mark etc.
Long-Term Memory
Next comes the long term memory, which is used to remember the process of solving the maths problem. The brain identifies the process based on the sign. For instance, determines that the numbers must be added based on the plus sign.
Understanding Of Quantities & Amounts
At this stage, the brain perceives the symbol “2” to understand the specific amount it represents.
Calculation
Based on the inputs and processing listed above, brain performs the final action, which is performing the calculation based on the signs or instructions they imply.
This is the simple process that takes place while solving a normal maths problem. However, it is not necessarily the case with those who are neurodivergent. Their mind can act differently during the process, making it difficult.
How To Determine Math Disorder Dyscalculia? Signs And Symptoms
The signs and symptoms may vary based on age and stage of development. Besides, which part of the process causes more trouble also plays a role in determining this condition. Some of these signs and symptoms are:
Trouble in processing numbers and handling quantitative problems. The problems can be determined in pre-schooling.
The problem in telling time by seeing the clock.
Difficulty in counting or comparing numbers or amounts.
The problem in remembering mathematical concepts, such as fractions, decimals, percentages, etc.
Inability to understand the association between the number and its verbal or written hint. For instance, it becomes to translate two as 2, and things get worse with the big numbers.
Trouble remembering mathematical signs.
Trouble explaining a mathematical process or explaining how a mathematical problem is solved.
Committing specific mistakes every time while solving a maths problem.
Difficulty in remembering the steps involved in a mathematical process.
Knowing these signs can help you get dyscalculia therapy at an early stage.
Emotional Signs and Symptoms
In addition to the symptoms that become apparent while problem-solving, this condition may show some emotional signs as well, which are:
Panic, depression, anxiety, or feeling of helplessness.
Agitation, which may include a sudden anger outburst.
Fear of the maths class, teacher, or even fear of going to school.
There are some physical symptoms as well, such as nausea, vomiting, stomachache, etc.
What Are The Possible Reasons For Learning Disability in Math?
More scientific evidences are required to understand the possible reasons of dyscalculia as of now. However, genetics is one of proven reasons for math learning disability; although more research is required.
Children with learning disability in math show differences in some specific areas of the brain when compared to others. These areas are often less developed and have fewer connections with the brain cells. This is the area that is utilized by the brain to deal with mathematical and quantitative problems (verbal and numerical). However, the reasons behind this gap are yet to be uncovered. Also, more research is required on how symptoms influence the condition. Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) has a strong connection with dyscalculia as well.
The maths learning disability and other mental conditions and disorders also interfere with each other. Some of these conditions are:
Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
Oppositional defiant disorder.
Major depressive disorder.
Generalized anxiety disorder.
How To Diagnose Dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia diagnosis has multiple steps. In the first place, the doctor collects information about the medical history of the individual and their family. This is done to alleviate the scope of other possible diagnoses. Moreover, it also ensures that there is nothing that interferes with dyscalculia.
Thereafter, children are referred to a team of specialists, including an expert teacher and a psychologist. They determine if the maths-solving process can be optimized by implementing specific interventions or if it is dyscalculia that needs to be addressed.
Dyscalculia Disease Treatment
You should start looking for dyscalculia disease treatment as soon as this condition is diagnosed. If ignored, it can affect a person throughout their life with different tasks, such as managing finances, teaching their kids, planning events, etc. There are several effective ways to get rid of this disability. The strategies may differ for adults than children.
Treatment For Children
Specialized or remedial educational programs can be formed to help students with their mathematical disabilities. It may include:
Repeated practices for those who find it difficult to remember the concepts, such as table and counting.
Decomposing the subject material into simpler units and concepts, so that it can easily be grabbed by the students.
Forming groups of children experiencing similar problems to deliver targeted maths learning for the group.
Regular reviews of the practices to check if the children are ready to learn and are progressing.
Parent’s also play a crucial role and their maximum participation with the tutors and processed can help students with dyscalculia.
Treatment For Adults
Dyscalculia therapy in adults can be more demanding when a person is not bound to the academic settings having remedial education programs accessible with it. The treatment process may include exercises and educational materials that can strengthen the areas of the brain and neural pathways responsible for handling quantitative problems. Specialized training and tutoring from experts can help in treating dyscalculia in adults.
Summing Things Up!
Now that you are here, you might have learned about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of dyscalculia disability. Thus, you can determine it in the early stages and avail yourself of immediate assistance in its treatment for the person who is facing it. If you are looking for “dyscalculia diagnosis near me’’ or need to ensure that any mental or psychological disorder is interfering with this condition, you can reach out to Reflect Within to get the desired help.