Dyscalculia Symptoms

Dyscalculia, also known as a math disability, is a lesser known learning disability, and refers to a wide range of life long learning disabilities involving comprehending and learning mathematics. The word dyscalculia is derived from the Greek word dys and Latin word calculia, which means badly and to count, respectively. Combined they mean counting badly. It basically affects mathematical reasoning as well as arithmetic operation. If understood well, symptoms of dyscalculia can be detected at a young age, which ensures that the individual suffering from this disorder will be able to handle this limitation by working around it. Dyscalculia is related to dyslexia and developmental dyspraxia and cases recorded estimate that this disorder may affect about 5% of the population.

Dyscalculia

Causes
Causes of dyscalculia is still a gray area, with little concrete understanding as to what causes it, or for that matter how it can be prevented. Problems in math processing are attributed to disturbances or deficiencies in specific regions of the brain, more specifically to lesions found on the supramarginal and angular gyri at the junction between the temporal and parietal lobes. Hereditary disorders in individuals where math aptitude has been inherited or is a congenital disposition. Injury to the brain that affects working memory is seen as a major factor in mental addition disability. Although, not very scientific in its base, some researchers believe that social conditioning that define gender appropriate thoughts, divergence, objects and activities all play a part in acquiring this disability.

Symptoms
Symptoms of dyscalculia are wide ranging, however, their diagnosis must be differentiated from those who are 'not interested in studying maths'. Although most of these symptoms go beyond simple arithmetic to mental calculation, in most cases it is these simple mathematical errors that are the first, subtle exhibited symptoms.

• Comprehension of time and its passage maybe limited.
• Difficulties in understanding arithmetic, signs: +, −, ÷ and ×, and often confusing their operational need.
• Difficulty in learning and understanding the basics of arithmetic like multiplication, subtraction, addition and division tables, as well as mental arithmetic, etc.
• A high degree of navigational impairment.
• The concept of distance and its measurement is difficult to establish.
• Difficulty in reading analog clocks.
• Difficulty in performing simple tasks like daily expense calculation to higher financial planning and budgeting.
• A very poor sense of mathematical concepts, rules, formulas and sequences.
• May also have trouble grasping the mechanics of a calculator.
• A common noted symptom is that people with this disorder do fairly well in science and geometry, especially where no formulas or calculation are involved.
• Difficulty in playing games where a score needs to recorded, like a cards game or even games like soccer or basketball where scores need to be kept.
• May have difficulties in counting backwards (10, 9, 8, and so on), and/or transposing numbers (12 to 21, 43 to 34, etc).
• Errors become more common and pronounced, and simple arithmetic learnt may be easily forgotten.
• Some degree of absentmindedness about any form of mathematical calculation can occur chronically.

Treatment as such is not really available for dyscalculia. Although, a disorder, very little can be achieved by the means of therapy or assistance. A better way to come around this disorder may be to hone skills in other academic and/or artistic fields.