Dyscalculia, the Surprisingly Common Yet Understudied Disorder

While people with dyslexia struggle with reading, those with dyscalculia struggle with math and numbers

Photo by Deepak Gautam — Image Source: Pexels

I can’t tell you how many tantrums I’ve thrown or tears I’ve shed over math. Of all school subjects, math was my nemesis, an unconquerable adversary that tormented and bent my mind in uncomfortable ways. Geometry was the only mathematical subject I could somewhat grasp, but everything else was nonsensical. I disliked math so much that I was thankful to pass with a D.

I’ve come up with several theories to rationalize my aversion to math — like that it’s too black and white for my mind or that I easily confuse methods for solving equations. But that was before I learned about dyscalculia. And now, suddenly, my struggles in school make a lot more sense.

Dyscalculia

While dyscalculia is classified as a specific learning disorder (SLD) in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), it’s poorly understood. Despite affecting an estimated 3 to 7 percent of the global population, dyscalculia often goes undiagnosed.

That’s not to say experts don’t know anything about it. For instance, dyscalculia usually first…