Dyscalculia among children. The Signs and Symptoms of Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia in Children
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Introduction to Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia refers to an extensive range of learning disabilities. It is more common in children than adults and makes it impossible for the little ones to solve various mathematical problems. When the disease takes a serious form, the children may fail to understand the meanings and significance of numbers. Dyscalculia is likely to develop at an early age (3-year or more) when children recognize numbers in kindergarten or Montessori. As they move to the next classes, their disability gets worsened, and they fail to solve mathematical problems or apply mathematical principles to their lives. A large number of kids across the United States, Canada and other parts of the world find it difficult to learn or comprehend arithmetic, all because of dyscalculia which is often viewed as a developmental disease (Ramaa & Gowramma, 2002).
Not only the children but also teenagers and adults may develop dyscalculia in some part of their lives. In 2005, it was reported that nearly 7 percent of the world’s population was suffering from Dyscalculia and the victims aged from 3 to 65. Similarly, in 2014, it was found that 10 percent of kids with dyscalculia also had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Dyscalculia has been associated with spana bifida and turner syndrome too. What’s the main cause of dyscalculia? Health experts claim that this mathematical disability mostly occurs due to brain injuries (Pellerone, 2013). However, dyscalculia can appear due to genetic or developmental abnormalities too. The word “dyscalculia” was first used in 1940 to describe the mathematical abnormality in children. Until 1975, the disease was recognized in only kids, but in the 1990s, a number of cases of dyscalculia in teenagers and adults were also reported. In some parts of the world, dyscalculia is often considered the most dangerous cognitive disability that needs to be cured as soon as possible (Zerafa, 2015).
The Signs and Symptoms of Dyscalculia
The signs and symptoms of dyscalculia vary from individual to individual. In some children, they are not as visible as in the others. However, it should be noticed that dyscalculia ruins a child or adult’s problem-solving skills to an extent. High school children may explore signs of math struggles, and their overall scores are likely to be impacted. One of the most prominent and early signs of dyscalculia is the inability to recognize numbers. Sometimes the children complain about their failure to solve different mathematical problems. They may also lose their ability to count, divide, multiply and subtract (Gordon, 2008).
How many students are present in a class? What will be the answer to 4-2? Kids with dyscalculia fail to answer these fundamental questions too. If not treated in a timely manner, the disease may get worsened as they grow up. In some circumstances, children with dyscalculia can identify or count objects but take longer than their classmates. It’s safe to say that dyscalculia looks different in different individuals, at varying ages. It tends to become more serious and visible as children get older, but the signs begin appearing at an early age. The ...