Neurodiversity 101 27 May 2022

What is Dyscalculia?

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Did you ever wonder what dyscalculia is? Do your child or you have some of the common challenges associated with it? There are some common strengths too which you would be interested to find out in this article.

Dyscalculia is a neurodivergence marked by difficulties with using numbers and recognising and implementing mathematical concepts. It’s estimated that 5-7% of the population is likely to have dyscalculia. It is commonly co-occurring with similar learning difficulties like dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADHD. There is no known cause for dyscalculia, though it is common for family members to have similar experiences.

A lowered level of number sense is a common description, while the overall impacts can present in different ways for each person. Some children may struggle at an earlier age with concepts like left and right, patterns, and counting numbers. For other individuals, it may not present itself until later when maths becomes more complicated.

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Common Challenges with Dyscalculia:

  • Anxiety with numbers and test anxiety frequently occur with dyscalculia, sometimes called “maths anxiety”, as people may struggle to make connections that their peers seem able to make.
  • Issues recognising mathematics symbols and words like +, -, ×, ÷, greater and less than, or biggest and smallest.
  • Problems that can be more apparent with adults are time management or telling time, measuring for cooking, producing the correct amount of money or making change, and remembering things like phone numbers and birthdays.
  • Other people may incorrectly view the challenges that come with dyscalculia as a lack of effort, when we know it is a learning difficulty that needs interventions the same way any other neurodivergence requires.
  • Anxiety and self-esteem struggles due to challenges may be heightened if a dyscalculia diagnosis is missed or support is not adequately provided.

Strengths that are found with Dyscalculia:

  • Practicality and strategic thinking can be strengths. People with dyscalculia tend to be hands-on with problems, and they are often able to recognise overarching issues rather than digging into minutiae.
  • Individuals with dyscalculia are often more creative and able to imagine things differently than their neurotypical peers.
  • Words and language tend to be more intuitive for individuals with dyscalculia, as they typically excel at reading, writing, and spelling.

An important note: Obtaining a diagnosis can be a huge step in understanding why the world can seem so different, so if anything here sounds familiar, we recommend talking through questions or concerns with your healthcare provider. These are helpful resources to get started with:

For children and educational support.

For both children and adults, you can find information on dyscalculia, diagnosis, common symptoms, tips for support, and other resources at Dyscalculia.org and with The Dyscalculia Association.

Many Other Forms of Neurodivergence

Other common neurodiverse conditions you may experience are:

 

Find yourself learning more about these conditions or revising your support plan and need more info? If you are after any specific tools or support, please let us know what you need within our community.

 

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Download the app to access more specialist advice, community support and wellbeing tools.

Join today as a Contributor member to gain free* access!

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*Free access, in return for contributing to Aybe on a weekly basis, for example by commenting, liking, responding to feedback requests. See Terms & Conditions.

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