Signs and Symptoms

There are many different signs and symptoms of dyscalculia and are listed, but not limited to the list below. If your child exhibits six or more of these characteristics, it might be time for a professional Learning Disability Assessment.

• Problems retrieving basic facts about arithmetic. For example, the solution to 15 - 8 or 4 x 7 is incomprehensible.
• Severe difficulty with rote memorization of arithmetic tables.
• Severe difficulty in figuring out addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. 17
• Mis-using the arithmetic signs (+ - x /).
• Forgetting to carry digits over.
• Putting digits in the wrong place.
• Performing operations in the wrong direction.
• Ability to complete homework but cannot recall the work and fails tests.
• Experiences anxiety when performing or thinking about math.
• Frequently late and has trouble keeping track of time, recalling schedules and making appointments.
• Has difficulty with physical exercise that requires memory of steps, like karate or formal dancing.
• Has trouble keeping game scores, like in cards or bowling.
• Loses objects like keys, pencils, or books.
• Poor money management skills.
• Poor sense of direction; gets lost easily.
• Poor skills with reading music or playing instruments.
• Slow mental math skills, like when calculating a tip amount in a restaurant.
• Trouble with basic math skills, like order of operations (PEMDAS) or formulas.
• Trouble with remembering people’s names.
• Unable to picture mathematical processes in the mind’s eye.
• Unable to picture the location of numbers on a clock, geographic location of countries and states in the mind’s eye.
• Unable to keep track of numbers when counting. For example, most students with dyscalculia cannot keep track of counting a hundred pennies, or cannot count by fours past about 12 or 16 without having to manually add four each time.
• Uncertain of the meaning of math terms like numerator and denominator.

Many of us take for granted basic arithmetic skills like adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. Unlike reading, it is human nature to count, sort, organize and compare things even without formal schooling. Children with memory deficits have difficulty storing and/or recalling these facts, which affects their ability to count. This inability to recall basic facts creates more problems as the child progresses into problem solving, which requires basic mathematical knowledge as a foundation for solving more complex problems like “If John has 5 apples and buys four more, how many apples does he have?"