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Dyscalculia

I have dyscalculia which means I'll always fail with numbers. It doesn't bother me too much, as math doesn't really hold much use in my life, but it could hinder me if I wanted to get certain jobs where math skills are required. Even with training, I know that math will never be a strength of mine.
Some people laugh at my horrendous attempts at math, but I don't mind, as I laugh at myself too. Numbers just dance around the page and it takes a second for my brain to recognise and focus.

Words though, are different. My brain loves words and I'm a good speller.
 
In general, there's a lot of misunderstandings about hidden disabilities.

There are some people who are open to being allies or even champions, but this is most commonly because they have family, friends, or colleagues who are impacted.
 
Oz67 said:
I don't know how to do Calculus even
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Most people do not understand calculus or are able to do anything beyond 6th-grade arithmetic. Yeah, they learn a bit of algebra in high school but never use it again - unless they get into STEM careers - and promptly forget it.

I flubbed out in advanced geometry and precalc, despite having a spectacular score (790) on my SAT math. That made a science major in college immensely difficult.
 
Misty Avich said:
I have dyscalculia which means I'll always fail with numbers. It doesn't bother me too much, as math doesn't really hold much use in my life, but it could hinder me if I wanted to get certain jobs where math skills are required. Even with training, I know that math will never be a strength of mine.
Some people laugh at my horrendous attempts at math, but I don't mind, as I laugh at myself too. Numbers just dance around the page and it takes a second for my brain to recognise and focus.

Words though, are different. My brain loves words and I'm a good speller.
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That is why God invented the calculator.
 
I'm pretty dyscalculiac, and a words person. I tell people "I'm not a maths Aspie, I'm an arts and humanities Aspie" sometimes. Of course some people on the spectrum are neither "If you've met one Autistic person, you've met one autistic person". But I LOVE words and my language, and cultural studies and writing and artistic expression. I even went to uni to study it, but didn't finish it. Undiagnosed ADHD on top, didn't help (it is diagnosed now,).

I tried to do the uni prep maths unit, because I hadn't finished high school (terrible mental health reasons) but it kind of did my head in, just trying to math. My brain kind of freezes up with math. I've also been pretty dyslexic about my right and left until recently, which scared me into not learning to drive. I am going to though. Better late than never.
 
Yeah, I've got it too. Pretty bad.

Basic addition? As long as it's like, single digit numbers, I can do it. Multi-digit numbers, I need a pencil and paper. Same with subtraction. Errors are likely with any of it.

Multiplication? Very slowly and likely with many errors.

Division? uhhhhhhhhhh

And that's about the extent of what I can do. It was a lot of trouble in school, sort of. On one hand, math class was always an issue. Well, in class anyway. If asked to do something like on the chalkboard I'd just blank out. Same with tests and such, unless a calculator was allowed.

Homework though? Have the computer do it. I cant do it anyway. Granted, that's provided I remember to do it at all. I often did not.
 
When I was undergoing tests for ASD, I had to do a number test and she noted how anxious I was with that.

However, I can do basic math and even challenge myself a little and do a little gleeful dance, when the calculator gives the same answer I had done in my head.

As a child, in my first math lesson, I had my first ever migraine and perhaps that is why I fear math and yet, weirdly, I am very good with accounting/book keeping).

My husband was not impressed when he found out how bad I am with math, when we got married and it was a daily nightmare, when I thought I had to weigh and calculate how long a chicken could cook for! I would beg him to help me out and sometimes he did and other times, he refused.

I have got to a point in my life, where I joke about it. Math and I have a mutual understanding that we hate each other!

It is assumed being on the spectrum, we ought to be genusies with math and I have been asked that before, on finding out I have Aspergers. The reply would be: wow, you must be great with math and rather disappointed when I said it was the opposite.

Oh, I used to count with my fingers and got quite good with doing that. And, when the teacher said in a test: no one must use their fingers to count or a calculator. I just hid my hands under the desk and counted that way lol
 
I don't have dyscalculia, but I have a very uneven skills set when it comes to maths. I'm great at geometry, but can't do algebra beyond pretty basic stuff. I think it's because algebra is too abstact - I can't visualise it and just can't grasp it and get it right. I try to understand things by visualising them, something that geometry lends itself to more easily.
 
Oz67 said:
some of them think that I am using that as an excuse for not being good at math.
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It sounds like these people are confusing an excuse for a reason. You know yourself best and you know that you have an explanation for why math has been so difficult for you. Dyscalculia is not an excuse. It's a valid explanation.
 
Au Naturel said:
That is why God invented the calculator.
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Math isn't just about calculators. Anything requiring math-type skills can be difficult for me, even counting money.
Working out math in my head takes up a lot of mental energy, but I can't work it out on paper. I never know how people do that.
I find reading large numbers difficult too, or inputting large numbers into cash machines for example. I have often had to ask for help.
 
Progster said:
I don't have dyscalculia, but I have a very uneven skills set when it comes to maths. I'm great at geometry, but can't do algebra beyond pretty basic stuff. I think it's because algebra is too abstact - I can't visualise it and just can't grasp it and get it right. I try to understand things by visualising them, something that geometry lends itself to more easily.
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You could have mild Dyscalcilia, although I don't think most people would use complex math in their daily life, unless they want to be a scientist or mathematician.
 
Oz67 said:
You could have mild Dyscalcilia, although I don't think most people would use complex math in their daily life, unless they want to be a scientist or mathematician.
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I doubt it. At school I could do simple "solve for x" type algebra, it's more complex high school stuff that I couldn't do. Some people grasp it right away, but it eluded me. But there are also people who struggle with it a lot more than me who don't have dyscalculia. For me, not being so good at maths meant that I got Cs, where for other school subjects I got As and Bs. I got the Cs mainly because I was able to compensate by being better at other areas of maths. If it were just algebra in a test, I would get Ds.
 
Progster said:
I doubt it. At school I could do simple "solve for x" type algebra, it's more complex high school stuff that I couldn't do. Some people grasp it right away, but it eluded me. But there are also people who struggle with it a lot more than me who don't have dyscalculia. For me, not being so good at maths meant that I got Cs, where for other school subjects I got As and Bs. I got the Cs mainly because I was able to compensate by being better at other areas of maths. If it were just algebra in a test, I would get Ds.
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That kind of sound like milder form of Dyscalcilia.
 
I failed most basic math during school years and I don't understand how people invented complex math equations. I don't understand how people invented complex technology. I genuinely believe that nothing is real. I just don't understand, I am sorry!
 
In Grade 3 I used to cry almost every day when we did math because things like long division and fractions made my brain shut down. One of my report cards in Grade 4 said my only weakness was math. I did get extra help with it, but it was like I couldn't just enjoy things like other kids my age because I had to memorize my multiplication tables and junk. Like, at the start of summer vacation other kids didn't even have to think about school for over two whole months, but I had to do math problems so I'd be ready for math when I started Grade 4. While we were camping.

Even now it's hard being an adult with dyscalculia. Balancing checkbooks for example, why other do people just seem to know how to do this scary thing? Taxes are the bane of my existence whenever I go shopping. Of course it might help if they actually included the tax with the price tag, but "they" are totally evil and love to trick us into thinking we're spending less money. You've got to love going shopping as a kid and having to spend half your allowance money on government taxes even though you're too young to vote. And of course, every job needs you to know at least some math. I can't imagine being able to use a cash register, even though you probably don't need to know math as much with the modern ones, and I've been able to use the self-checkouts without "too" much trouble.

Ummm... rant over, I guess.
 
I understand. For my job I have to convert my timesheet from standard to military time. It's basically impossible to do--even though I relearn it every week. I love the idea of math, but just can't do it and finally have just realized it's who I am. I'm better with writing.
 
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