Children With Dyscalculia - Is There A Cure? Tips To Overcome The Learning Disability

Children With Dyscalculia – Is There A Cure? Tips To Overcome The Learning Disability

Dyscalculia is a learning disability that effects many children and adults (about 3-6% of the population). The learning disability is specific to difficulty in learning and comprehending arithmetic. What this means in layman’s terms is basically math dyslexia.

Is there a cure for dyscalculia?

While there is no known cure for dyscalculia, there are things children with dyscalculia can do to overcome the challenges they may face.

One of the easiest things a child can do to help them recognize numbers and patterns is to just simply practice. There are many games you can download from the internet. When looking for a dyscalculia game for your child, keep in mind you want it to be age appropriate, you want it to appeal to your child, and you want it to be something your child doesn’t recognize as a “learning” experience. If your child thinks he/she is doing homework, or learning, they may resist.

Another thing you can do to help your child overcome his/her learning disability is use flash cards. Something as simple as buying (or if money is tight, you can make them) number flash cards. Mix the cards up, and practice number recognition. Make it a game. See how many they can get right. Reward correct answers, and give positive re-enforcement for incorrect answers.

Buy a bag of jelly beans. Pour a few out onto a table or flat surface. Have your child count out a certain number of jelly beans. Or have him/her separate the jelly beans into piles – one for you and one for them. You can switch colors with them (example: ask your child to switch 2 blues for 2 reds. You can do simple math with the jelly beans. Then after, your child gets to eat them!

Play a game with a stop watch. Have your child be the time keeper. See how long it takes for someone to run across the yard (or take 10 steps, or anything you can make a race with). Tell your child to watch the clock. Give them a time to stop the clock at (for example, tell them at 8:40 to stop timing.) Show them on the clock where the hands will be.

While there is no cure for dyscalculia, you can treat the symptoms. Remember to use patience and love with your child. They’ll be just fine. (You can read more tips here.)