What is Dyscalculia in Children?
If you have a child that you suspect has dyscalculia (struggles with number recognition, can’t understand simple math problems, addition, subtraction, etc.), then you are likely looking for guidance on how to help him/her. I suspect that since you’re reading this article, you have questions about the learning disability, and are looking to find more answers.
What is Dyscalculia in Children?
If your child struggles with simple math problems (as listed above) your child may have what is known as dyscalculia. The learning disability includes the difficulty in understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers, learning maths facts, and a number of other related symptoms (although there is no exact form of the disability).
Talk to your child’s teachers. If he or she is struggling in school, your teacher will be the first to tell you. There are certainly ways to treat dyscalculia in children, and the first step in treatment is recognizing treatment is needed. I realize this sounds very simple minded, but it’s the truth. If you’re child’s learning disability goes untreated, the results could be devastating to your child’s future.
Dyscalculia is derived from the Greek and Latin language which translates to “counting badly”. The prefix “dys” comes from Greek and means “badly”. “Calculia” comes from the Latin “calculare,” which means “to count”. The word “calculare” comes from “calculus”, which means “pebble” or one of the counters on an abacus.
The cause of dyscalculia in children is yet to be known. There have been research in many different areas, and some reasons are thought to be neurological, deficits in working memory, short term memory being disturbed or reduced, congenital or hereditary disorders.
Treatment for the learning disability can range from different options. There are many options to help your child practice number recognition and simple math problems. A fun way is by playing math games. Some people have opted to treat it by not treating it all, rather focusing their talents on other areas, such as creative abilities (this is not recommended for children with dyscalculia – if there is something that can be done to help the child overcome the learning disability, then it most certainly should not be ignored).
A great math games software to help your child with overcoming their dyslexia and math is the Success In Math Software Games. The games are played online right from the computer. You can get more information on them right here: Success In Math
If you would like to see if your child may have dyscalculia, you can visit the Dyscalculia Test Page Here.
