Dyscalculia in Adults

Dyscalculia is a specific type of math disability that causes adults to struggle with math in a variety of ways. There are many reasons why an individual may struggle with math. It is important to complete a comprehensive evaluation to determine the root cause of the math difficulties.

Some common characteristics of dyscalculia in adults include:

  • Trouble with mental math; gives incorrect change, for instance, or needs a calculator to figure out a tip

  • Often running late, sometimes missing important events altogether

  • Difficulty remembering names

  • Tends to drive too fast or too slow, or totally misjudges how long it will take to drive somewhere

  • Must write down a phone number immediately to remember it

  • Gets lost easily; misplaces objects around the house frequently

  • Struggles to keep score in games; often loses track of whose turn it is

  • Slow to tell time on an analog clock

  • Weak memory for anything number-related, like dates or facts

  • Struggles to learn dance steps or anything involving motor sequencing

In addition, some of the symptoms observed at work can include:

  • Gets anxious at the thought of having to do math unexpectedly at work

  • Trouble handling money or keeping track of finances

  • Frequently runs out of time while doing a task or, fails to plan enough time for all the things that need to be done

  • Trouble understanding graphs or charts

  • Finds it hard to understand spoken math equations, even very simple ones

  • Skips numbers or transposes them when reading a long list or spreadsheet

  • Finds it difficult to use Excel formulas

  • Uses fingers to count or marks pages with tally marks to keep track of numbers

Once the evaluation is complete, we will use the assessment information to make recommendations for school, work, and home.

Diagnostic Learning Services has been assessing adults and children since 2004