What is dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers, which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics.

It affects the ability to acquire mathematical skills, including working with numbers, learning number facts and procedures, and understanding mathematical concepts.

It is not linked to overall intelligence, but can lead to significant everyday problems, such as difficulties with finances, time management, and remembering sequences of numbers.

Is dyscalculia a learning disability?

Dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty and is considered a disability from the perspective that individuals with dyscalculia are entitled to reasonable accommodations in educational and workplace settings to help them succeed and reach their potential.

Dyscalculia specifically affects a person's ability to understand and work with numbers and mathematical concepts, but it does not impact their overall intelligence or capacity to excel in other subjects.

Is dyscalculia the same as maths anxiety?

While maths anxiety and dyscalculia can look similar, they are different in nature. Maths anxiety is more about the emotional response to maths, whereas dyscalculia is a cognitive issue.

However, they can coexist, making it even more challenging for individuals to cope with maths-related tasks.

Are all maths-based learning differences a sign of dyscalculia?

Not all maths-based learning differences are a sign of dyscalculia. While dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty that affects a person's ability to understand and work with numbers, there are other maths-related learning difficulties that may not be classified as dyscalculia, including (but not limited to):

• Maths anxiety, where there is an emotional response that causes intense fear or worry about maths, which can interfere with performance. It is not a cognitive issue like dyscalculia but can still significantly impact a person's ability to complete maths related tasks.
• Dyslexia can impact a person’s ability to process language, which may also affect maths skills.
• Broader learning difficulties that influence multiple areas, including maths. These difficulties might not meet the specific criteria for dyscalculia but can still impact maths performance.
• ADHD may cause a person to struggle with maths due to attention, focus, and executive functioning differences, which are crucial for solving maths problems.

A specific learning difficulty assessment aims to identify the areas of challenge and how a person processes information so that a diagnosis for dyscalculia can be made or ruled out.

What are common signs of dyscalculia?

Everyone is unique, but there are common signs of dyscalculia dependent on stage of development, such as:

• Difficulty learning to count.
• Connecting numbers to their symbol – i.e. knowing that ‘8’ means eight.
• Trouble remembering simple maths facts like addition and subtraction.
• Using fingers for counting beyond early primary age.
• Problems with understanding place value, leading to errors in calculations.
• Persistent difficulty grasping concepts like fractions, decimals, and percentages.
• Managing money, like value of coins, working out change, or budgeting.
• Time management in adults, such as difficulty understanding and managing time, reading clocks or estimating time intervals.

If you observe these signs in yourself or your child, we recommend pursuing a specific learning difficulties assessment.

What about strengths?

Individuals with dyscalculia have strengths in other areas, such as:

• Creativity, excelling in fields, such as art, music, and design.
• Problem-solving abilities; approaching problems from different angles and finding effective solutions.
• Strong verbal and interpersonal skills.
• Seeing the bigger picture and understanding complex concepts in a non-linear way.
• Ability to think strategically and see situations holistically.

How ProblemShared can help

ProblemShared is a CQC-registered online mind health service, offering the highest quality mental health and neurodevelopmental care, assessments for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyscalculia.

All of our SpLD clinicians are regulated by SASC (SpLD Assessment Standards Committee) and follow best practice guidelines and a strict code of conduct to ensure you receive high quality assessment, written evaluation, and recommendations.

If you believe you or your child may be dyscalculic, please visit our neurodevelopmental assessment page for more information on our service.

_{*This article was written and reviewed by Anne Cowley, SpLD Clinical Lead at ProblemShared.}