Specific Learning Disorder, Impairment in Mathematics is part of a cluster of diagnoses called Specific Learning Disorders. Specific Learning Disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions that include:
These disorders are categorized by a persistent difficulty learning keystone academic skills with an onset during the years of formal schooling. Key academic skills include reading of single words accurately and fluently, reading comprehension, written expression and spelling, arithmetic calculation, and mathematical reasoning. Difficulties learning to map letters with the sound of one's language- to read printed words- is one of the most common manifestations of specific learning disorder. Children and adolescents with specific learning disorder experience a persistent, or restricted progress in learning for at least six months despite intervention. The learning difficulties are usually readily apparent in the early school years in most children.
Children and adolescents with Specific Learning Disorders also perform well below average for their age, and average achievement is only attained through extraordinarily high levels of effort or support. The low academic skills cause significant interference with school skills that is usually indicated by school report or teacher's grades. These learning difficulties are considered "specific" for four reasons: (1) they are not attributable to an intellectual disability; (2) the difficulty cannot be attributed to external factors such as economic or environmental disadvantage, chronic absenteeism, or lack of education in the individual's community context; (3) it cannot be attributed to a neurological or motor disorder and (4) the difficulty must be restricted to one academic skill or domain (i.e., reading single words, retrieving or calculating number facts).
Note that Dyscalculia is a general term used to describe difficulty in mathematics. If dyscalculia is used to specify this particular pattern of difficulties, it is important to specify what difficulties are present.
Approximately 5-5% of individuals in the general population have a learning disorder. Of the children who have a specific learning disability, approximately half have a math impairment.
Math impairments are characterized by one or more of the following domains:
Common characteristics of children with a math impairment are:
Impairment in Math is a condition that makes it difficult to make sense of numbers and math concepts. Children with math impairments have difficulty learning and memorizing basic number facts. They struggle to understand the logic behind math and how to apply their knowledge to solving problems.
Impairments in mathematics severity can range from mild to severe. The most common problem seen with children is with "number sense." This is an intuitive understanding of how numbers work, and how to compare and estimate quantities on a number line. It is not uncommon for children to have difficulties learning skills in one or two academic domains, such as math and reading. Children and adolescents with impairments with mathematics may also have neurodevelopmental disabilities such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and genetic disorders such as fragile X syndrome, Gerstmann's syndrome and Turner's Syndrome.
As with most learning disabilities, the exact cause of math disabilities is unknown. Research has indicated that it is a brain-based condition. Possible causes of math impairments include genetics and heredity. Researchers have found that a child with a math impairment often has a parent or sibling with a similar math issue. Studies have also found differences between children with math impairments and matched controls in the surface area, thickness, and volume in parts of the brain that are linked to learning and memory, setting up and monitoring tasks, and remembering math facts.
Impairments in mathematics are treatable using a targeted, individualized intervention. The intervention is uniquely tailored to remedy the child's weaknesses in a targeted area of mathematics (e.g., number sense, memorization of math facts, accurate or fluent calculation, accurate math reasoning).
Although interventions should be individualized to take into account a child's academic strengths and weaknesses, there are recommendations of what a math intervention should include: Math Interventions; Instructional Interventions.
First Line Treatments
Second Line Treatments
When patients do not respond adequately to the first line treatments described above, other strategies might include:
Although interventions should be individualized to take into account a child's academic strengths and weaknesses, there are recommendations of what a math intervention should include: Math Interventions; Instructional Interventions.
First Line Treatments
Second Line Treatments
When patients do not respond adequately to the first line treatments described above, other strategies might include: