Mari❤️‍🩹

My parents: Okay, but you always just refused to put in effort!

Me: ...And why do you think that was?

My parents: You just didn't show interest, if you compare it with the ease with which you learned English...

(please, excuse my English. I have always talked about this topic in Italian and I’m not super sure of some technical terms and words.)

Dyscalculia is difficulty in learning or comprehending arithmetic, such as difficulty in understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers, and learning facts in mathematics. It is generally seen as a specific developmental disorder.

Basically, what a dyscalculic often can’t do is: 

read numbers correctly.

do any basic arithmetic without a calculator.

understand the difference between multiplications and exponents.

solve problems that require a certain level of mathematical logic.

grasp and remember mathematical concepts, rules, formulae, and sequences

Some can also have difficulties with grammar rules and memorizing things such as declinations. 

What a dyscalculic can and can’t do really changes from person to person, and what I have just written is just a very tiny part of the various symptoms.

Actually, there are a lot of usually simple tasks which are very difficult for dyscalculic people, such as:

Read analogic clocks.

Stating which is the larger of two different numbers.

Read musical notation.

Difficulty with conceptualizing time and judging the passing of time. You could be either always early (that would be me…) or always late.

Inability to concentrate on mentally intensive tasks.

Difficulty with choreographed dance steps.

Difficulty in orientating and reading maps.

Troubles estimating costs and keeping a budget.

Troubles estimating speed and distance.

What to do:

If you think you may have dyscalculia, I suggest you look and research a lot about it. If you still have that feeling, taking a test with a specialist i what you need to do. I’m not sure what the price is to take such a test in other countries, my therapist took me just 60 euros, but if you have free health care probably you can take them to a hospital for free.

Please don’t self-diagnose yourself. Having this kind of doubts and discussing it with a therapist is OK! Nowadays is very very popular on Tumblr to self-diagnose yourself with anything, but if you have a learning disorder, you will need a document signed by a specialist to get help at school, so you need an official diagnose. 

Now, you need to get actual help at school. Now, I really hope that your school is very open to that, and your teachers too. Sometimes they can very ableist and ignore completely the disorder. In this case, I recommend having your therapist talk to them. 

You will probably get a paper after the evaluation (I believe that in the USA, CANADA, AND UK its called IEP) which says what you can and can’t do, and decide how to proceed, which accommodations and modalities put in it etc. You may have the possibility of keeping formulas and procedures to solve math, to always use a calculator, to just be tested orally instead of taking a regular test etc. The plan is customized, created to help you at this best. 

Make sure that your needs are respected and that you get all the help you need to be at the same level as everyone in your class.

Find a way to make your math notes understandable and easy to read, with a good amount of examples, all the possible cases and with the theory well explained. If they let you keep this material with you during tests, like I do, this will be the most useful tool you’ll ever need to do math.

Different accommodations that you can get:

Mind maps and detailed procedures w/ examples in how to solve a particular operation to keep during tests.

Keeping formulas with you during tests.

More time do to your tests.

Audio/videos explanations if you are an auditory learner.

Ability to keep a calculator with you during tests.

A tutor in or out the school.

Fewer questions in a test. 

Help during tests.

Bigger font for your tests, files etc… it may seem stupid, but is so nice to have a clearer view and bigger numbers!

More time to turn in your assignments and more time for your tests/exams.

Resources:

How to make math accessible.

More accommodations.

IEP.

PDP - if you are Italian like me.

Some easy lessons.

Dyscalculia in one minute.

Skills affected by dyscalculia.

Video Lessons.

Dyscalculia.org

What is dyscalculia? (video)

For parents.

For teachers.

Dyscalculia math help collection.

The dyscalculia dolphin (our meme!)

Convert anything!

The Scale of everything. (can be overwhelming!)

Dyscalculator - a calculator for dyscalculics,  depicts numbers four different ways: numerals, text, sound and a bar graph to compare two numbers. (Android + iPhone)

+ other links:

studying with an anxiety disorder.

how to get rid fo toxic friends.

crystal sticker pack.

my experience with a learning disorder.

aesthetic study music.

ways toxic friends affect your life.

highlighting tips.

ADHD masterpost.

how i take my math notes (as a dyscalculic).

how to write an analytical/scientific essay.

useful programs for school.

my pics.

you’re not stupid

you’re not lazy 

you don’t have to compare your best to others’

Your brain is made in a certain way and it’s not lacking. It’s just different. 

All they hear is ‘Syndrome’. They look all serious and understanding as if I’m about to admit that I take copious amounts of drugs to control my sick head so I don’t rip their faces off and kill people? I cant tell you how meny times i’ve had that reaction! and i’m like…

  i get tired of it… and i just want to…

Yeah…

Scotopic sensitivity syndrome, also known as Visual Stress, Irlen Syndrome, and Asfedia, is a condition relating to the interaction of the central nervous system and the eyes at a physiological level with light. It manifests itself most notably in terms of reading, although the symptoms of the condition can be more general than this. (thanks Wikipedia!)

Which basically means when I read I see shit like this…

People also do not need to disclose their trauma as validation for why they do not want to be touched. People are allowed to say “no” to any form of contact, whether they have trauma or not. 

Quit taking “please don’t touch me” as a personal attack on you. 

Don’t Ask “Are You STILL Not Well?” Our conditions are ‘chronic’ This means they are possibly never going to heal. After a few years you should catch on to this

Don’t Tell Us About Your Miracle Cure Yes we know about magnesium, crystals, epsom salts, and yoga. We are eating a balanced diet, we might even meditate regularly. The fact that we are still ill doesn’t mean we haven’t tried it. The fact that we haven’t chased after every suggestion doesn’t mean that is the one thing keeping us unhealthy… we get a LOT of these. A LOT

Don’t Get Angry When We Say We’ve Tried Everything You Think Of  We are not dismissing you and your value. We are not being smarmy or trying to throw a pity party for ourselves. We have been researching this condition for years now. Don’t feel so shocked that we’ve already considered every idea you’ve come up with in 5 minutes!

Don’t Tell Us About How Weak Our Generation is and How Back In Your Day You Just Fought Forward and Pretended it Wasn’t There 1) You are NOT chronically ill. Your problems and my ‘problems’ are my ‘normal’ 2) Is being stupid and self destructive really something worth bragging about or emulating?

Don’t Tell us About Your Aunt’s Cousin’s Nephew’s Friend Who Has Our Condition and Still Does The Things We Don’t These conditions have a VERY broad range to them. Some people will have them and live totally normal lives. Some people will struggle with them. Some people will consider even what I do amazing freedom and strength. The fact that the people you know who have this condition are doing things is probably because they are the only ones who are able to be in the places you go. Trust me, I’ve read the statistics. Majority of us are not able to do what we are not able to do.

Don’t Ask Us When We Are Going to Get Past This or be Done Making a Big Deal About This Believe me, it is a full time job as a chronically ill/chronically injured person to not blame ourselves. We don’t need you reminding us what a burden we’re being or telling us we could totally get past this if we just tried. We are trying. And we do get that you’re tired of worrying about our issues. We are too. But unlike you, you can walk away and not notice it anymore. We have to live with this every waking minute. We can’t run away from this because this is us. This is our reality

Ways You SHOULD Talk To Chronically ill/Chronically Injured People

Just Talk to Us Seriously. Just have a light conversation with us. It is stinking lonely going through this and we are always thankful for a distraction. Talk to us about what interests you. Talk to us about if you think whales burp through their blowholes. Talk to us about anything!

If We Can’t Stand Then Sit To Talk to Us This isn’t a demand, but if you want to put us more at ease, it really does help. It is something I myself didn’t realize until I lost my ability to stand for long periods of time. People like to stand while talking. More to the point, they like to stand FAR away from anything you can sit on. Even if you are sitting, people like to stand to talk to you, and trust me. It is both daunting and kind of awkward talking to people’s crotches as they tower over you. If we are sitting down, it doesn’t mean you need to walk away because we are done talking to you. It means we needed to sit down. Sit down with us. It’s relaxing. We’ll talk for hours not distracted so much by our increasing pain and trying to awkwardly stand as long as we are sitting.

Talk About Things Other Than How Hard Our Lives Must Be It’s not like we are completely against it. I notice other people walking with cool looking canes and want to ask them where they got them (cane envy as I like to call it). This is a huge part of our lives and we can’t avoid talking about it entirely because it does take up our schedules, choices, and more. But we are more than our suffering as well. We like to talk about movies, games, books, some even like to talk about sports! I mean there’s a whole Paralympics  thing! (Though not me… Don’t talk to me about sports. I’ll have literally no idea what on earth you’re talking about)

Roll With It If you ask if we want to go to a museum with you, and we reply “Oh I’d love to, unfortunately I can’t stand that long.” or “Unfortunately I get my nerve blocks at that time so I’ll be out of it for the day.” Don’t solemnly go “Oh….” and then sit their awkwardly thinking how you just ruined the mood. The fact that we casually mentioned something like that usually means we are feeling comfortable with you. To us this isn’t a trigger point, it is literally just our weekly schedule. It’s almost the same as saying “Oh I can’t, I play golf Saturday mornings!” Just suggest another date. Or another activity. Ask us if we have anything you might like to try. Just keep the conversation going!

Doctors aren’t fully trained on all conditions. They don’t see what a patient experiences on a daily basis and they don’t see how much certain conditions impact their lives.. Doctors only get a few lectures on the diagnostic criteria and treatment of certain conditions but they are not shown different peoples experiences and they often turn to stereotypes. Doctors abuse their power and try to send people to abusive therapies (such as ABA to try to make people on the autism spectrum act more neurotypical). Doctors can also be extremely racist, sexist and transphobic which affects how they treat a patient. Waiting lists for mental health services and neurological services are extremely long so it will be a long time before someone can even get a diagnosis. Some people in the USA cannot afford to get an appointment and insurance may not cover it. Some people do not have supportive parents or family members so may find it difficult to get diagnosed. It can be harder for people who were born in a female body to receive and Autism or ADHD diagnosis as it affects people who were born in a females body differently .Some doctors don’t even believe ADHD is a real thing. Some doctors abuse their power and are patronising to their patients and the patients parents. Some people are unable to access mental health services at all because in the UK , to get referred to adult mental health services you have to do a telephone interview , which can be impossible for someone with social anxiety, or anyone who is non-verbal or deaf or anyone with auditory processing difficulties and nobody is allowed to do it for you. Some people aren’t able to leave the house due to a  disability, such as agoraphobia, Tourette’s, social anxiety, panic disorder or any chronic illness, therefore can’t see a doctor. 

I don’t know how many times I’ve just sat and pushed through an asthma attack because I didn’t want to pull out my inhaler in class. i was already socially ostracized, I was already a ‘nerd’- I didn’t need people seeing my inhaler.

I don’t know how many times I’ve just sat and pushed through an asthma attack because I didn’t want to pull out my inhaler in class. i was already socially ostracized, I was already a ‘nerd’- I didn’t need people seeing my inhaler.