Dyscalculia? It’s in the Numbers

You have probably never heard of dyscalculia. I hadn’t either when we first started homeschooling back in the 90s. I was working with my three oldest boys and finding the younger one was moving much faster through math than one of his older brothers. He could figure things in his head while older brother struggled. By the time my older son was in the 6th grade, I was aware that there was a problem. He still couldn’t memorize his multiplication facts. I had figured out that he reversed his numbers without realizing it. If we were doing 7×8 he would put down 56 sometimes and 65 other times. He didn’t notice his mistake. He had the same problem with phone numbers at times.

So I did some research and came across some articles about dyscalculia. What I learned is that dyscalculia is generally understood to be a mathematical equivalent to dyslexia. If you have a child who is struggling with math, perhaps you should consider this as a possible cause.

It has been determined that children with ADHD are at higher risk for dyscalculia.

 

Here are some resources to help you get started in understanding dyscalculia and how to address it.

11 Facts About the Math Disorder Dyscalculia

Understanding Dyscalculia

How to Help Children with Dyscalculia