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Dyscalculia

A learning disability in math that makes number ideas and arithmetic hard; U.S. schools treat it as a specific learning disability under IDEA.

What It Means

Dyscalculia is a learning disability that affects math. NICHD describes children with it as having trouble grasping how arithmetic works and with adding, multiplying and measuring, along with related problems such as word problems and making change. In U.S. public schoolsPublic schoolA school run by publicly elected or appointed officials and paid for mainly with public money, including district, charter and magnet schools. See more it is covered by the IDEA category specific learning disability, whose definition at 34 CFR 300.8(c)(1010,000 stepsA popular daily step goal that began as the name of a 1960s Japanese pedometer; later studies find health benefits begin well below it. See more) includes an imperfect ability to do mathematical calculations.

Try It: Which of These Are Dyscalculia Signs?

For each scene, decide whether it's one of the signs NICHD lists for dyscalculia.

Your child can't work out the change from $5 at the store.

The steps of a long problem get mixed up every time.

Your child says math is boring.

Correct0
Out of3

A quiz can't diagnose anything. Only a professional can.

How Parents Say It

  • "She still counts on her fingers for everything."
  • "He freezes as soon as there's a word problem."
  • "We're asking the school about dyscalculia."

The Breakdown

From first signs to school support

StageWhat happensSource
Early number skillsKnowing how many are in a small group and counting objects one by one come before school mathBuhata's page on number senseNumber senseA child's growing feel for numbers: knowing how many are in a small group, counting objects one by one, and knowing the last number counted is the total. See more
Signs at schoolTrouble with arithmetic ideas, adding, multiplying and measuringNICHD
Other signsWord problems, making change, messy math on paper, keeping steps in order, putting events in time order, explaining how they solved a problemNICHD
Asking the schoolA parent can request an initial evaluation; Buhata's page on evaluation requests covers howIDEA
EligibilityThe school decides whether your child has a specific learning disability, which covers trouble doing mathematical calculations34 CFR 300.8(c)(10)
ServicesA child who qualifies gets an IEPIEPAn IEP (Individualized Education Program) is the written plan a public school makes for a child who qualifies for special education under IDEA. See more; see Buhata's IEP pageIDEA

The word itself. The regulation's list of example conditions names dyslexiaDyslexiaA learning disability that makes reading words accurately and smoothly hard, mostly because linking letters to sounds is hard; schools call it a specific learning disability. See more but not dyscalculia. The Department of Education's October 23, 2015 letter says that list isn't complete, that dyscalculia can qualify a child as having a specific learning disability, and that nothing in IDEA prevents a school from using the word in an evaluation, an eligibility decision or an IEP.

When to talk to the school and the doctor. If math trouble keeps showing up over months, even with extra practice, tell the teacher what you see at home and ask about an evaluation. Mention it to your child's doctor as well.

Good to Know

NICHD says only a professional can diagnose a learning disability, so treat a checklist or quiz as a reason to ask questions, never as an answer. Write down concrete examples before you meet the teacher, such as a homework problem your child couldn't start, because specifics help the school decide what to look at. Keep dated copies of what you send.

FAQ

Is dyscalculia a real learning disability?

Yes. NICHD lists it as a math learning disability, and the Department of Education's 2015 letter says it can qualify a child as having a specific learning disability under IDEA.

What does dyscalculia look like in kids?

NICHD lists trouble with arithmetic ideas, adding, multiplying and measuring, plus word problems, making change, keeping the steps of a problem in order and explaining how a problem was solved.

How do I get my child tested for dyscalculia?

Ask the public school, in writing, for an initial evaluation under IDEA, and talk with your child's doctor too. NICHD says only a professional can make the diagnosis.

Do It in Buhata

Tasks and Calendar

Add a Task in Buhata for each math example you want to show the teacher, and put the meeting with the teacher on the Calendar.

Open Buhata

Related Terms and Categories

  • Number sense

    A child's growing feel for numbers: knowing how many are in a small group, counting objects one by one, and knowing the last number counted is the total.

  • Evaluation request

    A request, usually from a parent, that the public school evaluate a child for a disability and special education services under IDEA.

  • IEP

    An IEP (Individualized Education Program) is the written plan a public school makes for a child who qualifies for special education under IDEA.

  • Dyslexia

    A learning disability that makes reading words accurately and smoothly hard, mostly because linking letters to sounds is hard; schools call it a specific learning disability.

School and education for parents

Sources

NICHD, "What are some signs of learning disabilities?"; NICHD, "Learning Disabilities" fact sheet; U.S. Department of Education, IDEA regulations, 34 CFR 300.8(c) (Child with a disability, including specific learning disability); U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Dear Colleague Letter on IDEA/IEP terms (October 23, 2015)

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