Dyscalculia
Hylian
Citizen, Mentor
in General ASD
I am wondering if anyone else here has dyscalculia? How does it present for you, and what has helped you deal with it? Do you also have a career or want to go into one that uses a lot of math?
I recently was reading some things about it, and when something referred to it as "math learning disorder" it made me remember that I had that as a diagnosis as a kid. My dad made my doctor remove it from my current diagnoses though when I was around 11, because he didn't like me being diagnosed with it, so I forgot about it until now.
I think if I had that in my records still and I actively knew about it as an adult + adolescent that it would have been very helpful, especially since I have always done terrible with math beyond basic multiplication (I never even learned how to divide properly, I just use a calculator).
Realizing I have dyscalculia is nice though, since now I know why I can't remember concepts in math for longer than a month or two, can't do mental math, etc. It's also helpful because I've felt bad about not being able to pass my states math exam multiple times, and now I get that I'm not just dumb or not putting enough effort into it.
It's also a bit upsetting because a lot of the careers I want to get into are STEM related and they require a lot of math. I don't know if I'd ever be able to go into any of those careers since I can't remember things beyond basic multiplication for more than a couple months.
I recently was reading some things about it, and when something referred to it as "math learning disorder" it made me remember that I had that as a diagnosis as a kid. My dad made my doctor remove it from my current diagnoses though when I was around 11, because he didn't like me being diagnosed with it, so I forgot about it until now.
I think if I had that in my records still and I actively knew about it as an adult + adolescent that it would have been very helpful, especially since I have always done terrible with math beyond basic multiplication (I never even learned how to divide properly, I just use a calculator).
Realizing I have dyscalculia is nice though, since now I know why I can't remember concepts in math for longer than a month or two, can't do mental math, etc. It's also helpful because I've felt bad about not being able to pass my states math exam multiple times, and now I get that I'm not just dumb or not putting enough effort into it.
It's also a bit upsetting because a lot of the careers I want to get into are STEM related and they require a lot of math. I don't know if I'd ever be able to go into any of those careers since I can't remember things beyond basic multiplication for more than a couple months.
Comments
What really frustrates me more than anything about it is that it makes me unable to read sheet music, understand musical time signatures, and choreograph dance moves. I haven’t written any of my own songs and I forget even basic dance moves partly because of the damn condition.
I have to do a lot of tallying to do certain things without a calculator. Finger counting is even hard for me so I need to be able to visually record what I'm doing. lol I have also taken my states math exam for high schoolers probably 3 or so times so far, and my score got worse each time. My counselor gave me a waiver though so if I pass my classes this year I can graduate without doing the exam.
Combination locks used to mess with me so much! One of my teachers got mad at me because I never used my locker, but I couldn't open it fast enough to have time to get stuff from it and then make it to my classes. It also took until the 2nd grade until I could tell time on an analog clock, I think.
I haven't tried to program much, but the stuff I tried to learn I did okay at. I think it actually helped my math ability a bit, I don't know exactly how though.
I've always wanted to be an anthropologist or be a veterinarian, but both of those things require a lot of math. A lot of careers do and I don't know if I could even get the degrees I'd need for those things since I (currently) wouldn't be able to pass even a basic math course. I can learn math via books and videos fine, but I can't remember it long enough to actually do anything with it. It's very odd and frustrating.
The only way for me to remember a sequence of numbers is to be exposed to it daily or several times a week. Once that stops, the numbers vanish from my head. Very frustrating.
It makes a lot of simple things hard to do, and that makes me embarrassed since people often make fun of me. It also sucks because my brother who has Asperger's doesn't have issues like this and is really good at math, and I am compared to him a lot due to us both having autism.
Given what you've said here, I wonder whether you truly have full-blown dyscalculia, or whether you just have some combination of (1) an unusual math learning style, (2) a much greater-than-normal need for practice, and (3) math anxiety.
I think I am good at getting the concepts of math now that I've figured out what works to help me learn it, and I could definitely learn the stuff I need to go into a career I want. I think my hesitation is more about, if would it be worth it to expend the energy that it would take for me to remember all the math that's needed, since I forget it so easily and need to practice it so much.
If I kept programming and it continued to help my math ability I would be very happy about that. I actually did want to get into software development before, so if I did okay at programming and had an easier time with math due to it that'd open up another career opportunity.
I hope you find a way to succeed.
Thank you for your advice, Mona! I really appreciate it.
My issues can make things like telling the time difficult. I can't understand clocks with roman numerals, I know logically I should be able to because they still work on the same system (the top symbol where twelve usually is still represents twelve, it's just a different symbol). However, I seem to reach a mental block and it takes me so long to read the clock that the time actually changes and I get an inaccurate reading. I hate analogue clocks and I also hate it when people describe time as "forty minutes to" or "twenty minutes from". Please just say it like a digital clock.
The best way I can think to describe it is when you see someone who usually wears glasses and then you see them without glasses and you don't recognise them in a crowded public area. I can only understand certain visual information in particular contexts and when taken out of the original context I find it difficult.
Dividing is the absolute worst, especially odd numbers. I often have the issue of dividing, adding, multiplying or subtracting from the wrong column. However, if you turn the page horizontal and it is on lined paper then it is easier to keep within the same column, I also circle the symbol to remind myself what I'm doing so I don't start subtracting when I meant to add. Calculators are very helpful and I tend to use them, even for calculations that are apparently easy, which can lead to judgement but I'd rather get things accurate then chance it.
Likewise, if I'm counting and it's going up to big numbers, sometimes I partially zone out and end up counting backwards unintentionally and forgetting what number I was on. Mental maths is next to impossible, I need to see it in front of me to actually keep a record of what I'm doing otherwise I lose track of where I am and things get very confusing.
I find it difficult to understand how big numbers are (sometimes when people sprout statistics at me I don't know which number is bigger and which is smaller). Estimating can be tricky, I also struggle with understanding measurements and directions. Sometimes I read numbers backwards such as forty-two becoming twenty-four. I just have to remember to double check these things, otherwise I show up on the wrong date to events, show up to the wrong room number, show up at the wrong hour etc.
How on Earth people can take information such as "Daisy wants to travel twenty four miles west and travels at thirty miles an hour, how long will that take her?" and figure it out is beyond me. I struggle with time management because I often either over-estimate or under-estimate how long an activity will take.
Edit : As for subjects, I chose digital art. I do some coding and it can be tricky at times. The languages I use are typically syntax-first object-orientated and only on a surface level. I prefer to work on the visual design of programs. Designing game and app art. Working out how it would work and function in practice which ideally I would send off to a developer team. I want to go into graphic design, specifically UI design.