Dyscalculia is as common a learning disability as dyslexia. This specific disorder of digital activities must be the subject of speech therapy as early as possible. 

Definition 

Dyscalculia is a specific disorder of digital activities: difficulties in acquiring and mastering the various knowledge and skills at work in mathematics (access to numbering, learning arithmetic operations, problem solving or geometry). 

It is a cognitive dysfunction. It is part of Dys disorders, learning disabilities, such as dyslexia or dyspraxia. 

Dyscalculia is rarely isolated. It is frequently associated with dyslexia-dysorthography (reading disorder) or dyspraxia (movement and spatial orientation disorder) and to a lesser extent with dysphasia (oral language disorder) or speech disorder. ‘attention “with or without hyperactivity” (AD / HD). 

Causes 

Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain dyscalculia. First hypothesis: dyscalculia would have a hereditary factor. Second hypothesis, neurobiological: the cause of dyscalculia is an immaturity or dysfunctions at the level of the structure and / or the functioning of the cortical areas conventionally involved in digital processing. The third hypothesis: dyscalculia would result from weaknesses in general cognitive processes such as limited working memory or inhibition capacities. These three causes could be associated. 

Diagnostic 

The diagnosis of dyscalculia is made by a multidisciplinary team (neuropsychologist, psychologist, speech therapist) after carrying out several assessments. 

The people concerned 

Less known than dyslexia, dyscalculia is nonetheless common. Epidemiological studies have shown that around 5% of children have a learning difficulty in mathematics. Dyscalculia affects both boys and girls. Dyscalculia affects 3% of adults in France (Source: Insee 2005). 20% of dyslexics are also dyscalculic. 

Risk factors 

Environmental factors could be involved in dyscalculia. It is seen particularly often in children who have suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome (exposure to alcohol during pregnancy). This disorder can occur with premature birth and / or low birth weight (Fayol 1998).

Dyscalculia is manifested by different signs: 

• Difficulty learning the number rhyme
• Errors during enumeration (counting objects by pointing them one by one)
• Difficulty counting on his fingers
• Difficulty memorizing arithmetic facts (tables)
• Errors and slowness in calculation
• Errors in reading numbers (10 read “one hundred and twenty-five”)
• Errors in number dictation (six hundred and eighty writes “6420”)
• Difficulty comparing numbers ()
• -Difficulty in estimating the answer of a calculation
•  Difficulty in orienting oneself in space (deficient visuospatial orientation)
• Difficulty reading the time 

The treatment of dyscalculia is based on speech therapy. There may be additional support for psychomotor skills. This specific support must be accompanied by individual support in the classroom (school life support, for example). 

At home, small arithmetic games can help children with dyscalculia: arrange their toys in order of size, count fruits and vegetables, play with a cash register to familiarize themselves with change …

It is not possible to prevent dyscalculia. On the other hand, it is important to detect it early in order to take charge of it early. Not taken care of in childhood, dyscalculia can represent a significant handicap in adulthood. 

Dyscalculia can be detected from preschool age.