Mathematics Disorder

Mathematical disorder is also known as dyscalculia. It makes the basic psychological process involved in understanding or use of math impossible. Mathematics Disorder makes it hard to understand and use maths in day to day life. Children associated with mathematic disorder are compared to colour blindness in the sense that babies are born with it.

Mathematics Disorder is a cerebral disease, where children don’t get the logic behind mathematical concepts and numbers.

• Making simple math mistakes
• Trouble in reading and writing math numbers
• Difficulty understanding math symbols
• Can’t tell difference between adding and subtracting
• Unable to arrange numbers from smallest to largest, or vice-versa
• Unable to understand graphs

Master S, age 10 was brought to the clinic after his final examination results, where he scored good marks in all subjects except for mathematics in which he failed, he has not managed to pass a maths exam ever in his life. While having a personal session, S is unable to recognise which number are greater 10 or 13, he can’t add or subtract numbers. He can’t read big mathematics numbers like 105, 254, 392. For him maths is an alien language, where he doesn’t understand the concept of math at all. Apart from maths, he is a good student and paints brilliantly for his age. S’s mother was assured that he is a brilliant child and his problems with maths will be dealt with patience and counselling. She should further encourage him to paint and let him express his thoughts freely. He is not disinterested in maths; he just has a disorder in which no matter how he tries he won’t be able to understand maths and its concepts.