Originally Posted by polarbear
Mom2MrQ - you mentioned that your ds fits many of the symptoms on the dyscaculia list you linked - but did you mention which specific items you're seeing?

This symptom list is copied and pasted from http://www.dyscalculia.org/ I'm going to copy the things which apply to him, and strike those things I do not see. If it's a major issue for him --if it especially applies --, I'll put it in bold.

------
  • Normal or accelerated language acquisition: verbal, reading, writing. Poetic ability. Good visual memory for the printed word. Good in the areas of science (until a level requiring higher math skills is reached), geometry (figures with logic not formulas), and creative arts.

  • Mistaken recollection of names. Poor name/face retrieval. Substitute names beginning with same letter.

  • Difficulty with the abstract concepts of time and direction. Inability to recall schedules, and sequences of past or future events. Unable to keep track of time. May be chronically late.

  • Inconsistent results in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Poor mental math ability.[....] May have fear of money and cash transactions. May be unable to mentally figure change due back, the amounts to pay for tips, taxes, etc.
    Poor with money and credit. Cannot do financial planning or budgeting. Checkbooks not balanced. Short term, not long term financial thinking. Fails to see big financial picture. Note: Financial planning to the above degree isn't something he's been exposed to, so I'm nixing it based on lack of exposure.

  • When writing, reading and recalling numbers, these common mistakes are made: number additions, substitutions, transpositions, omissions, and reversals.

  • Inability to grasp and remember math concepts, rules, formulas, sequence (order of operations), and basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts. Poor long term memory (retention & retrieval) of concept mastery- may be able to perform math operations one day, but draw a blank the next!

    May be able to do book work but fails all tests and quizzes.

    Note: He doesn't fail all tests, but it is rare that he gets all bookwork or quiz questions correct. His mistakes are almost always due to being off one number or reading the wrong sign. Sometimes, when we do oral math, he will blurt out an answer, then immediately catch himself and correct it --and usually he's correct with the correction, but not always. Then there are times when he knows it's wrong, but he can't quite 'get to' the answer. I stopped timing anything with him because he would have a complete meltdown and couldn't even think straight.

  • May be unable to comprehend or "picture" mechanical processes. (Note: I addressed this in a previous post. I'm not sure if he's bad at this, or simply average.)

    Lack "big picture/ whole picture" thinking. Poor ability to "visualize or picture" the location of the numbers on the face of a clock, the geographical locations of states, countries, oceans, streets, etc.

  • Poor memory for the "layout" of things. Gets lost or disoriented easily. May have a poor sense of direction, loose things often, and seem absent minded. (Remember the absent minded professor?)

  • May have difficulty grasping concepts of formal music education. Difficulty sight-reading music, learning fingering to play an instrument, etc.

  • May have poor athletic coordination, difficulty keeping up with rapidly changing physical directions like in aerobic, dance, and exercise classes. Difficulty remembering dance step sequences, rules for playing sports.

  • Difficulty keeping score during games, or difficulty remembering how to keep score in games, like bowling, etc. Often looses track of whose turn it is during games, like cards and board games. Limited strategic planning ability for games, like chess.


Thanks again for your ideas and insight.