Dyscalculia in an Eight Year Old Girl, by Fazeel Chauhan

Dyscalculia in an Eight Year Old Girl

Fazeel Chauhan

California State University, Long Beach

Introduction

          Meena is an 8 year old girl who has Dyscalculia, which is a Mathematics learning disability, frequently referred to as Dyscalculia. Symptoms include trouble doing simple Math including addition, counting and even telling time. A number of people are undiagnosed because they're not aware they have this condition. Meena is lagging behind her peers in Math skills, though her physiological markers are essentially normal. Support is lacking from schoolmates, friends and local community. The family is separated, with three children waiting for their green cards in Pakistan. Immigration policies and National politics are stressors on the family. Meena is resilient and with family support is expected to get help from various sources.

Life Stage: An Eight Year Old Girl With Dyscalculia

            Childhood is a very vulnerable time. The experiences of a child have a lasting effect through adulthood. Growing up is difficult enough, but learning disabilities in childhood can make life even more challenging. Kids with learning disabilities can have a higher risk of mental health issues including anxiety and depression. The subject is named Meena, an eight year old girl of Pakistani (South Asian) origin. She is in the second grade at school but has been having trouble learning basic Math skills. She has symptoms of Mathematics learning disability, frequently referred to as Developmental Dyscalculia.

            Rotzer et al. (2008) state that studies estimate, 3 to 6% of the school population is affected by Dyscalculia. Researchers like Aster, et al. (2005) estimate Dyscalculia might be as common as Dyslexia, and read-spelling disorders. For Meena, simple tasks of addition, subtraction and multiplication are difficult to learn. It is easy for her to forget what is 2 + 4, and she still has not outgrown the need to count on her fingers.
            She gets confused about concepts of time including names of month and days, and can’t understand analog clocks. Meena has trouble with measurements, fractions, graphs and charts. It is difficult for her to count numbers backward. She is unable to count money or calculate the change to get back in a cashier game. She has a poor sense of direction and also has difficulty remembering phone and other numbers. Her reading, writing and comprehension skills are also lacking. Meena was referred to the school’s social worker mainly due to her Math learning disability. It is noticeable that she tends to avoid eye contact by focusing on something beyond the person she speaks to.

            Unfortunately, there is no medication available to treat a learning disability like Dyscalculia.  The exact causes are unknown, but possible causes are genes, brain development and environment. There may be a genetic factor because Dyscalculia tends to run in families. Upon examination, differences are seen in the structure and functions of the brain, in the areas related to Math concepts and numbers. Also, there may be less grey matter in the Math area of the brain. Some of the other possible causes are prematurity, low birth-weight and fetal alcohol syndrome.

Physiological Markers

            At age 8, a child develops more physical coordination and graceful movements and jumps, skips, and chases. In this middle-childhood stage, they can dress and groom themselves completely. Can safely use tools like a screwdriver or hammer. Some baby teeth will fall out and permanent teeth will start coming in. They grow about 2.5 inches and 4 to 7 pounds per year.

Cognitive and Psychological Developmental Markers

            At age 8 to 9, a child can read more for content, count numbers backward and understand fractions. They can draw and paint. They can name the months, and days of the week, and know the date. They can understand some jokes and that some words have more than one meaning. At this age, Meena should be past Piaget’s Pre-operational stage which is toddler to 7 years old. She should be able to overcome the barrier of irreversibility, and count numbers backwards. She should be able to classify and sort objects into various categories, based upon their characteristics. She should now be in Piaget’s Concrete Operations stage which is between the ages of 7 to 12 years old. Her cognitive development should be more logical and less limited by centration. But she is behind in most of those markers.

            Psychologically, moving to a new country and being separated from older siblings and extended family are stressors. According to Freud’s theory, personality development is done by age 5, but in fact human beings learn to grow and adapt throughout their lifetime. For example, as Meena learns new tools and her family utilizes more resources to help her, her personality will continue to evolve. She should be in Freud’s latency stage which is from age 6 to puberty, but her intellectual and social skills are lagging. Her Ego, Id and superego are functioning normally. Theories of development are helpful but they have limits, especially when applying to an 8 year old.
Social and Emotional Markers
            A child around age 8 likes to compete and play games. They like to join groups like Girl Scouts. How others view them, acceptance of peers and fitting into the group becomes more important to them. They become more relaxed with the opposite sex and play with them. Since they are being more active and independent, the child’s safety is a concern. Vygotsky’s theory emphasizes the social context and a person’s development and learning is impacted by the environment they grow up in (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2015, 132). Thus family and teachers can help Meena to advance through scaffolding, collaborating and mentoring.

Dyscalculia

            Meena has symptoms of Mathematics learning disability, usually referred to as Dyscalculia. Having difficulties in understanding numbers and learning Math facts can be a lifelong daunting experience. Often it can effect a child who is smart in other areas or a person who even has a high IQ. Her physiological markers are at the standard level. Though Meena is very resilient and does not seem to get sad, she is also behind her peers in reading, writing and comprehension. Math skills are required every day in simple and complex tasks, especially noticeable as a person gets older, at school and later at work. Dyscalculia is nearly as common as Dyslexia but not as well known.

            Shalev et al. (2000) found that the 3 to 6% frequency of Dyscalculia in schools is similar to prevalence of Dyslexia and ADHD. It is a term coined by Dr. Josef Gerstmann in the 1940’s, yet it has been an under researched subject. Devine et al. (2013) found the prevalence of Developmental Dyscalculia to be 6%, with boys and girls equally represented. Siemann and Petermann (2018) state there are conflicting findings about the innate versus acquired factors of this disability. Dyscalculia is not lack of interest, poor study skills, inattention, anxiety, poor socio-economic status or other environmental causes. Instead, it is difficulties with working memory, numeracy, visual-spatial orientation, and inability to memorize number facts. The person can have left right confusion, difficulty in sequencing, and a limited sense of measurements and numerical magnitude.

            Dyscalculics can mix up greater than versus lesser than and not understand scoring in games. They have trouble with time concepts, specially going backwards in time, and can be seen counting by ones, especially on fingers. The emotional effects can include learned helplessness, becoming passive learners, loss of confidence and Math anxiety. Meena exhibits some of these and her social skills are also lacking. Elias (2004) states that learning or not learning effects the emotions of children, and thus schools can instill confidence and hope through caring relationships and social-emotional learning techniques. Physiologically, Meena seems to walk slow and is a bit clumsy, but her height, weight, language, motor skills, and physical health markers are otherwise normal.

Tests for Assessment

            According to the 2013 Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders (DSM-V), Dyscalculia is a specific learning disorder with impairment in Mathematics. It can be mild, moderate or severe and there are multiple sub types. These chronic conditions last into adulthood. There are four types of tests which are commonly used to measure, assess, diagnose and screen for Dyscalculia. Each looks at different skills including Math fluency, computation, and quantitative reasoning.

            The Woodcock-Johnson IV Calculation test assesses computational skills which allow kids to make correct Math calculations. The WJ IV, MFaCTs and WIAT-III Math Fluency tests measure a child’s ability to recall Math facts quickly and correctly. If kids struggle through basic calculations, they can get confused and get lost in the problem. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Arithmetic test measures mental Math skills, which is the ability of a child to do Math problems in their head. This can also indicate if they struggle with mental memory. The WJ IV, WIAT-III, CMAT Problem Solving tests measure a child’s Math problem solving skills including word problems. This is a way to assess their quantitative reasoning and numerical concepts abilities. In addition, IQ tests are also used for overall assessment.

            Meena can take these tests and the results can be used to identify how she can be helped to improve her Math skills. She likes going to school and is eager to learn, but needs extra tutoring and Math tools. Until a few days ago, her family did not know that the reason their daughter has been struggling in Math is because of a learning disability called Dyscalculia. Now they are looking for resources to better understand the condition and to find solutions, empowerment and coping mechanisms. Soares and Patel (2015) state that Dyscalculia has life-long impact on a person’s job opportunities and future earnings potential. Thus early and long-term intervention can help to better equip the person.

Systems Perspective

Family
            The patterns of attachment between Meena and her family are not unsual. Yet, children in South Asian and Muslim families tend to sleep in the same room with a parent until adolescence and are not kicked out of the house at age eighteen. In their culture it’s normal to live with extended families and in-laws. Meena’s father is dedicated to improving the socio-economic status of the family, and her mother is committed to care, nurture and support even the distant family in Pakistan. Her mother is especially protective of the children and is concerned that Meena is overly trusting of strangers. Like a younger innocent child, she reaches out to talk to people, which might not be wise or safe. She smiles a lot and has a friendly yet naïve demeanor. Although Meena has other learning difficulties, Karin Landerl, et al. (2004) have concluded that disability in basic numerical processing is not the consequence of deficits in other cognitive abilities.

            Her father migrated to the United States alone, about seven years ago. His wife and three younger children (including Meena), came over two years ago. The older three children are still in Pakistan, awaiting their green cards, which have been delayed partly because of President Trump’s “Muslim Ban” and other strict immigration policies. Meena was raised by grandparents and an aunt in Pakistan, who used to live in the same home, as part of the extended family. Like most families coming to America, they had to leave behind aunts, uncles, grandparents, culture and their home town. They are still homesick and feel it’s a big loss to be cut off from their ancestors, roots, sights, smells, memories and emotions of growing up in their country of birth.

            Meena is the fourth child and misses her older siblings, specially her ten year old brother Deen, who used to guide her a lot, through scaffolding. Now her younger siblings help her out. She has a younger sister, and her 7 year old brother was diagnosed with Epilepsy about a year ago. He is good in Math and enjoys mechanical toys. This brother and the family can use the websites and books, which utilize creative methods and number games, as fun ways to teach Math skills to Meena. Websites like the ones listed in the appendix, take students through Math milestones and make a game out of learning. For example, the websites Jump Math, Visual Math Learning and Math Playground have free games and lessons which can build skills and confidence in kids.

            Her mother states that Meena is messy and can be stubborn at times. Though it’s possible that she has trouble keeping things in order, similar to sorting by categories and characteristics of things, Math concepts and sequencing. She might come across as stubborn because she has trouble understanding some instructions and then gives up, which is a form of learned helplessness.

            Her father has been physically distant from the kids most of their lives. Mostly because he had to migrate (alone) to the United States for a better job opportunity and a brighter economic future, so he could support his wife, six children and extended family members back home in Pakistan. Before getting married, he grew up on a farm and went to college at night to complete a bachelor’s degree. His current job is in the accounting field where he often has to spend extra hours at work, without overtime pay. His wife considers him a workaholic, but he thinks he doesn’t have a choice but to work long hours. He has a strong work ethic and believes working hard will get him a promotion so that he can improve the socio-economic conditions of the family. His wife says that he is emotionally distant from the children and is harsh and impatient with Meena. At times, especially after a tiring long day at work, he can be irritable and verbally abusive with the kids.

            In his authoritarian and strict disciplinarian style of parenting, he doesn’t spend personal time with the kids to teach, coach, mentor or give guidance to them about life. His attitude is old-school and feels his job is mainly to be a provider, and for his wife to be a home maker. She still hasn’t learned to drive, which restricts the family’s social life. He expects the kids to stand up on their own two feet, and grow up quickly, like he himself had to do at an early age.

School:
            Similar to grade 1, Meena is lagging behind her classmates, in learning, now in grade 2. Lessons have to be repeated several times. She has trouble keeping up with peers in reading and writing also. Basic Math tasks are particularly a big challenge for her. The classmates know she has difficulty in simple addition, subtraction and counting. At times the teacher has to spend extra time with her, which some kids resent. Many don’t want to be friends with her. Kids at school can say mean things like dumb, lazy and weirdo. Especially kids who are seen as weak and vulnerable, are made fun of, talked down to, and bullied. They feel embarrassed and ashamed and their self-esteem suffers. Yet Meena seems emotionally strong and generally ignores those comments. She doesn’t hold grudges with school mates, family members or friends  who might tease her. She has a forgiving nature and carries on her daily activities with a smile on her face, without getting discouraged. She is caring, helps mom, and loves children, especially those younger than her. She likes to play with dolls, wants to get married one day and have kids.       The teachers of Meena’s two younger siblings think the children are emotionally neglected. Their father never comes to any school events or activities. After coming home exhausted from long hours at work, he doesn’t seem inclined to teach important life skills to his children. But when asked about the kids, he shows concern about their education, wants them to do well in school, and be successful in life. The parents are sad and wish she wasn’t slow. They are in some denial about Meena’s learning disability. Zechella and Raval (2016) found that after acknowledging their own struggle with acceptance, South Asian American parents of children with a learning disability, were then quick to be optimistic for their child’s progress and appreciated their accomplishments. Meena’s parents were glad to learn that she qualified for IEP to receive special education services including Math support at school.

Friends
            Many of her classmates don’t want to play with her because she seems to behave like a child who is 2 or 3 years younger than them. Some make fun of her and think she pretends to be a baby to get negative attention. They make comments like she is slow and not smart, which effects her self-esteem. Kids in the neighborhood also mock her accent and imperfect English language. She has trouble remembering some of the rules of the games her peers play and how to keep score. So some children avoid playing with her, as if she holds them back. The family feels their home is not presentable and they are embarrassed to invite friends over. But they trust that if they continue to pursue education and hard work, it will lead to better jobs, a bigger home and higher socio-economic status.

Community
            Meena lives in a poor neighborhood, of a small town in central California where education in schools is not high quality and social services are lacking. They have friends mostly in the South Asian community, where the worth of a person can frequently be judged based upon their socio-economic status. The family lives in a two bedroom apartment and avoids inviting friends over. They want to preserve their dignity and family-honor, because it is embarrassing for them to show (or expose) their simple home, which would prove to visitors that they are working class. They also want to prevent being disgraced that their daughter will be labeled as mentally ill or “handicapped”, which would bring shame to the entire family.

            Madon (2015) stated that there is some hesitancy around disclosure of learning disabilities among South Asians, so disabilities can be hidden, due to cultural factors of stigma, and wanting to be seen in a positive light as a model minority. Thus the family plans to not publicly acknowledge Meena’s learning disability, because the community is a stressor in that regard, rather than being supportive. They feel that their South Asian friends will gossip, be judgemental, look down upon the whole family and will stop socializing with them, as if a person with a learning disability lowers the social status of a family in their community. Most people around them consider it taboo to talk about learning disabilities, and other “family problems” are also kept secret. Meena and her family will also need to seek help through her school, religious center, and from professionals, books, internet and other resources.

Religion and Politics

            Jegatheesan et al. (2010) state that South Asian Muslim parents rely strongly on religious beliefs to understand and accept their child’s (disability) autism, and aim to raise their children as normally as possible, incorporating them into ordinary social and religious practices at home and in the community. The Imam (director) at the local Islamic center has provided valuable moral support to the parents. Although they are resilient, adapting to life in the new country and local community has been very difficult for the children and family.

            Considering Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, they feel a lack of safety and belongingness. Due to the initial culture shock, assimilation isn’t easy in a country 8,000 miles away from home where you are seen as an alien, foreigner, and stereotyped as a terrorist on TV shows and hyped up news. Being villainized and humiliated constantly in racist speeches by a cruel President also emboldens perpetrators of hate crimes. So the family is scared of Trump supporters who include some Republicans even in the Muslim and South Asian Communities. Yet they feel empowered, can analyze global news and don’t have political apathy unlike many other Americans. Thus they want to become engaged citizens, capable of growth, achievement and contribution.

            The family does feel it’s beneficial to seek confidential counseling from the Imam (religious leader) at the small Islamic Center in town. But since the mother doesn't drive, they can only occasionally go there for prayers and meetings. However, by phone they can get guidance and support from the Imam. Al-Krenawi (2016) highlights that to be able to best assist Muslim clients, the social worker must be culturally sensitive and fulfill the important need of collaboration with the Imam.

            Their religious beliefs have been a coping mechanism for the family. As Muslims, they practice the discipline of abstaining from alcohol and drugs. They often pray together every day and have faith that with God’s Help, they will achieve the goals to improve their conditions and to re-unite the family. Being Muslims and people of color, the family feels afraid of the right-wing Trump administration and the many Caucasian people who condone his hate speech. For three years in a row, hate crimes have increased, since Trump’s election campaign. Rushin and Edwards (2018) found that Trump’s divisive rhetoric fueled the surge in hate crimes, which is called the Trump Effect. In 2019, Lauren Aratani reported in the Guardian newspaper that 78% of Americans believe that aggressive language from elected offices can lead to violence against targeted groups.

            Meena’s family and friends believe that Muslims and other minorities are under attack by Mr. Trump, and his anti-immigrant policies have had adverse effects directly on them because the older three children’s immigration has been delayed for unnecessary reasons. The family is too poor to afford an immigration attorney who could expedite the case and get the family re-united with the older 3 kids. There are no non-profit organizations (like CHIRLA.org) nearby who can assist in this matter.

            Migrating thousands of miles away to pursue the American dream requires many sacrifices, burnt bridges and adjustments. Leaving behind their extended family, friends, neighborhood and culture, are stressors and great losses which can be traumatic for some people coming to a foreign land where they are seen as aliens by a large segment of the dominant Caucasian society. Yet, like other minorities, the family also believes they should be grateful, self-reliant, model citizens, and not ask for help. The hard and broad life of their past, enriches their strengths and skills. The support they receive is lacking, yet they feel confident and connected to the community.

Conclusion and Summary of Meaning

            Although the two conditions are nearly as common, there is less awareness about Dyscalculia than about Dyslexia. Many parents have not heard of the issue until their own child is diagnosed with it. When doing a search in the public library system (lapl.org), there were 254 results for books, etc. on Dyslexia, but only 6 for Dyscalculia. Yet there are many avenues of support and resources available to help a child to succeed at school and in life. This Math learning disability can adversely effect the social and emotional well-being of a person throughout their life. There are treatment options including educational therapy and speech therapy to assist with the language of Math. Working with the school, a parent can ask for classroom accommodation, assistive technology and tutoring. They can learn to navigate the system, build social connections and get access to more resources. It is also important to teach the child to advocate for herself so she can ask for help at school, at home and later at work. Parents and teachers can aid the child by encouraging her, boosting her self-esteem and focusing on her strengths. The family is managing well through environmental stressors.

            Websites and books which teach creative methods and number games are fun ways to learn Math skills. They take students through Math milestones and make a game out of learning. In the appendix, there are examples of websites like Jump Math and Math Playground which include free games and lessons to help build skills and confidence in students. Just like people with Dyslexia can learn to read, those with Dyscalculia can learn to count. Meena looks forward to re-uniting with her older siblings. Then the family plans to continue to thrive and adapt to life in their new home country. They feel lucky to be in “rich” America instead of “poor” Pakistan, are motivated to avail the opportunities here, to pursue the American dream, and remain hopeful about their future.

References

Al-Krenawi, A. (2016). The role of the mosque and its relevance to social work. International       Social Work, 59(3), 359–367. doi: 10.1177/0020872815626997
Aratani, L. (2019, June 19). Most Americans believe politicians’ heated rhetoric can lead to          violence, report finds. The Guardian. Retrieved from

            https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/19/americans-politicians-aggressive-         rhetoric-violence-report
Aster, M., Kucian, K., Schweiter, M., Martin, E.  (2005). Arithmetic disorders in childhood,         Monthly Pediatrics, 153 (7), 614-622. Retrieved from

            https://doi-org.csulb.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s00112-005-1166-6
Devine, A., Soltész, F., Nobes, A., Goswami, U., & Szűcs, D. (2013). Gender differences in             developmental dyscalculia depend on diagnostic criteria. Learning and Instruction, 27,      31–39. doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2013.02.004
Elias, M. (2004). The Connection between Social-Emotional Learning and Learning Disabilities:   Implications for Intervention. Learning Disability Quarterly, 27, 53-63.
Jegatheesan, B., Miller, P. J., & Fowler, S. A. (2010). Autism From a Religious Perspective: A      Study of Parental Beliefs in South Asian Muslim Immigrant Families. Focus on Autism        and Other Developmental Disabilities, 25(2), 98–109. doi: 10.1177/1088357610361344
Landerl, K., Bevan, A., & Butterworth, B. (2004). Developmental dyscalculia and basic   numerical capacities: a study of 8 - 9-year-old students. Cognition, 93(2), 99–125.
            doi: 10.1016/s0010-0277(04)00014-9
Madon, A. (2015). The Lived Experiences of South Asian American Students with Learning        Disabilities. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, 1–127.
Rotzer, S., Kucian, K., Martin, E., Aster, M. V., Klaver, P., & Loenneker, T. (2008). Optimized   voxel-based morphometry in children with developmental dyscalculia. NeuroImage,      39(1), 417–422. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.08.045
Rushin, S., & Edwards, G. S. (2018). The Effect of President Trumps Election on Hate Crimes.   SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.3102652
Shalev, R.S., Auerbach, J., Manor, O. et al. (2000). Developmental dyscalculia: prevalence and     prognosis. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 9(2), S58-S64. Retrieved from              https://doi.org/10.1007/s007870070009
Siemann, J., & Petermann, F. (2018). Innate or Acquired? - Disentangling Number Sense and       Early Number Competencies. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 571.       doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00571
Soares, N., & Patel, Dilip R. (2015). Dyscalculia. International Journal of Child and Adolescent    Health, 8(1), 15–26.

Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2015). Understanding Human Behavior and the Social
            Environment. (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning, Inc.
Zechella, A. N., & Raval, V. V. (2015). Parenting Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Asian Indian Families in the United States. Journal of Child and Family             Studies, 25(4), 1295–1309. doi: 10.1007/s10826-015-0285-5 

  

Appendix A

Useful Websites, Books and Apps

Websites

https://ldaamerica.org

https://www.dyscalculia.org/math-tools/our-lessons

https://jumpmath.org/jump/en/homeschoolers

http://www.mathematicsforall.org

https://www.mathsisfun.com/

https://www.ixl.com/math/

Books

The Dyscalculia Toolkit: Supporting Learning Difficulties in Maths (2017) by Ronit Bird

The Dyscalculia Solution: Teaching Number Sense (2014) by Jane Emerson and Patricia Babtie

The Math Handbook for Students with Math Difficulties, Dyscalculia, Dyslexia or ADHD, Grades 1-7 (2017) by Helmy Faber

Dyscalculia: Action plans for successful learning in Mathematics (2013) by Glynis Hannell

It Just Doesn't Add Up: Explaining Dyscalculia and Overcoming Number Problems for Children (2015) by Paul Moorcraft

Why Is Math So Hard For Some Children? The Nature and Origins of Mathematical Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (2007) by Daniel B. Berch and Michele M. M. Mazzocco

My Thirteenth Winter: A Memoir (2005) by Samantha Abeel

Apps

Counting Beads from Visual Math Learning (KG – 1st grade)

            http://www.visualmathlearning.com/pre_algebra/lessons.html

Find Sums from MathTappers (Grade 1 – 3)

            https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mathtappers-find-sums/id353582286

Make 10 Plus (Grade 1 – 2)

            https://apps.apple.com/us/app/make-10-plus/id630033796

Number Rack (KG – Grade 2)

            https://www.mathlearningcenter.org/resources/apps/number-rack

Number Line from the Math Learning Center (Grade 1 – 5)

            https://apps.mathlearningcenter.org/number-line/

Lobster diver from New Mexico State University Learning Games (Grade 1 – 3)

            https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lobster-diver/id416577542

Sushi Monster from Scholastic (Grade 2 – 4)

            https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sushi-monster/id512651258

Thinking Blocks from Math Play Ground (Grade 4 – 7)

            https://www.mathplayground.com/thinkingblocks.html

Meister Cody - Talasia

            https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.kaasahealth