What is dyscalculia, main symptoms and treatment

Dyscalculia is the difficulty in learning mathematics, which prevents the child from understanding simple calculations, such as adding or subtracting values, even when there is no other cognitive problem. Thus, this change is often compared to dyslexia, but for numbers.

Usually, those who suffer from this problem also have great difficulty in understanding which numbers are higher or lower.

Although its specific cause is not yet known, dyscalculia is often associated with other problems of concentration and understanding, such as attention deficit and hyperactivity or dyslexia, for example.

Main symptoms

The first symptoms of dyscalculia appear during around 4 to 6 years, when the child is learning the numbers, and include:

• Difficulty counting, especially backwards;
• Delay in learning to add numbers;
• Difficulty in knowing which number is larger, when comparing simple numbers like 4 and 6;
• He is unable to create strategies for making calculations, such as counting on his fingers, for example;
• Extreme difficulty for calculations more complex than adding;
• Avoid doing activities that may involve math.

There is no single test or examination capable of diagnosing dyscalculia, and for this it is important to consult a pediatrician who must make frequent assessments of the child's calculating abilities until it is possible to confirm the diagnosis.

When there is a suspicion that the child may have dyscalculia, it is important to notify family members and teachers so that they are aware of possible signs of the problem, in addition to allowing more time and space for them to perform tasks that involve the use of numbers.

Since mathematics is one of the subjects that most helps in cognitive development, this problem must be identified as early as possible, to start treatment and avoid feelings of insecurity and uncertainty, for example.

How the treatment is done

The treatment for dyscalculia must be done jointly by parents, family, friends and teachers and consists of helping the child to develop strategies that allow them to get around their problem.

For this, it is very important to try to identify areas where the child is more easily, then trying to include them in learning numbers and calculations. For example, if it is easy to make drawings, you can ask the child to draw 4 oranges and then 2 bananas and, finally, try to count how many fruits were drawn.

Some ideas that should serve as a guide for all tasks are:

• Use objects to teach calculations to add or subtract;
• Start at a level where the child feels comfortable and slowly move on to more complex processes;
• Allow enough time to teach calmly and help the child to practice;
• Reduce the need to memorize;
• Make learning fun and stress-free.

It is also important to avoid spending too much time explaining tasks, even when using a fun method. This is because spending a lot of time thinking about the same thing can leave the child frustrated, which makes it difficult to memorize and the entire learning process.

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