Acalculia is often combined with. Clinical and psychological characteristics (dis) of acalculia

Acalculia

- a general concept that includes various violations of understanding numbers and performing arithmetic operations. It is manifested by visual/auditory misrecognition of numbers, misunderstanding of the concept of number, numerical digit, and inability to consistently perform calculations. Diagnosed on the basis of clinical characteristics, results of neurological, psychiatric examination, arithmetic testing, cerebral tomography. Treatment is carried out in relation to the underlying disease, rehabilitation includes special classes to restore arithmetic abilities.

Why is acalculia confused with dyscalculia?

Acalculia and dyscalculia should not be confused, although they are very similar neuropsychiatric diseases. Their main difference is in the causes of the disorders.

The first syndrome is acquired as a consequence of other brain injuries, and the second is congenital.

In addition, acalculia can be partial, and dyscalculia is a complete lack of ability to study even the simplest arithmetic, because a person does not have the function of estimating the number of objects. The manifestation of dyscalculia is observed in 5% of first-graders. With the help of special techniques you can successfully get rid of it.

Acalculia

The existence of a special counting center in the human brain was described at the beginning of the 19th century. At first, doctors assumed that it was located in the frontal lobe, then they determined its localization at the junction of the parietal and occipital lobes of the dominant hemisphere. In 1926, the German physiologist Hans Berger proposed the term “primary acalculia” to designate counting disorders caused by direct damage to the counting center, to distinguish the pathology from secondary disorders observed due to other cortical dysfunctions. Counting disorders in children are partial in nature and are often the result of underdevelopment of cognitive abilities, therefore in practical neurology they are referred to as “dyscalculia.”

Types of disease

Depending on the manifestation, there are many types of acalculia.

Verbal

Characterized by difficulties in denoting mathematical terms, concepts and operations verbally. It is quite possible that the patient is fluent in arithmetic, but cannot express it.

Apraxic

A person is not able to independently determine the number of objects that are nearby.

Dyslexic

It manifests itself in the fact that the patient suffers defeats in attempts to read some arithmetic sign or symbol. It is believed that this type of disorder can be transmitted at the genetic level.

Graphic

In this case, the name speaks for itself; graphic acalculia deprives a person of the ability to display mathematical operations in writing. Such a person will not even be able to draw a basic geometric figure.

operating room

During the operational type of disorder, it will be almost impossible for the patient to perform arithmetic operations: add, subtract, divide and multiply. Perhaps this will manifest itself partially. For example, a person copes well with subtracting numbers, but cannot multiply them.

Primary

Scientists believe that the disease of primary acalculia has no connection with disorders of other mental functions. It appears due to damage to the left hemisphere of different areas of the cerebral cortex: frontal or parietal.

Frontal

Impaired functioning of the frontal lobes of the brain leads to loss of conscious activity in a person. Thus, the individual cannot perform precise mathematical operations.

Parietal

Occurs as a loss of spatial thinking. Accordingly, the patient cannot understand the concept of “numbers” and everything connected with them.

Secondary

It is part of a neuropsychiatric syndrome that already exists in the individual. It appears as a result of a lack of ability for purposeful mental functions. Secondary acalculia has several subspecies.

Optical

A variety that appears due to problems with vision receptors. The patient literally cannot distinguish one number from another.

Sensory

As a consequence of problems with the temporal areas of the cerebral cortex, sensory acalculia develops. Because of this, the patient loses the ability to count verbally.

Acoustic-mnemonic

If the prefrontal areas of the brain are affected, then an acoustic-mnemonic type of disorder may begin. It is expressed in the fact that the person cannot perceive any arithmetic terms or commands by ear.

Diagnostics

Since acalculia is part of complex cognitive disorders, its identification among the leading intellectual-mnestic disorders presents a certain diagnostic difficulty. Another task is to determine the form of the pathology and diagnose the underlying disease, the manifestation of which is acalculia. The following diagnostic techniques are used:

Anamnesis collection
. Allows you to find out how the disease began and developed, what caused it.
Examination by a neurologist
. Examination of the neurological status makes it possible to identify focal symptoms and suggest the localization of cerebral damage. In children, the examination includes an assessment of the level of mental development. Patients with TBI and intracranial tumors are additionally consulted by a neurosurgeon.
Examination by a psychiatrist.
Necessary for patients with mental disorders; it helps differentiate cognitive disorders from mental illnesses.
Arithmetic testing
. Aimed at diagnosing a form of acalculia. Includes a study of visual and auditory understanding of numbers, the ability to remember numbers, and make calculations.
MRI, MSCT of the brain
. Morphological changes characteristic of the underlying disease are visualized: post-traumatic hematomas, intracerebral tumors, foci of inflammation, stroke area, degenerative processes. In case of cerebrovascular pathology, ultrasound and MRI of cerebral vessels are prescribed.

Features of acalculia in children

In children, most often, it is the primary type of acalculia that is observed. This happens between the ages of 5 and 11 years.

The child does not perceive any arithmetic information that they try to convey to him at school. He does not understand how it is possible to carry out any operations with incomprehensible signs, calling them numbers.

Neuropsychiatric disorders can lead to the fact that the baby will not be able to distinguish between “left” and “right”.

Usually this disease is treated up to 12 years of age.

Neuropsychological aspects of the syndrome

The disease was first mentioned by psychiatrist F. Henschen in 1919. Thanks to his research on violations of the analysis and synthesis of computational operations, the scientist identified two main types of acalculia:

primary;
secondary.

The primary form of the syndrome is observed when the parietal, occipital and temporal areas of the cortex are affected. A feature of this type of disease is a violation of the analysis and synthesis of spatial representations. It becomes quite difficult for the patient to distinguish numbers and carry out computational manipulations with them. An interesting fact is that violation of counting operations is often combined with a lack of understanding of the differences between “left” and “right”, “up” and “down”, “behind” and “in front”.

The most significant disturbances in the primary form of the syndrome are observed in children. The formation of the parts of the brain responsible for the concept of space may not occur by the time the child enters school. In such cases, in the first year of study, difficulties may arise in understanding numbers and arithmetic operations.

The main symptoms of the primary form of the disease:

lack of understanding of the difference between numbers, for example, the numbers 245 and 254 seem the same to the patient;
inability to distinguish place value structures of numbers;
violation of the concept of spatial coordinates;
difficulties with arithmetic operations;
lack of concept of numbers;
violation of the concept of “more” - “less”.

When the parietal region is damaged, difficulties are observed in analyzing the differences between numbers. It is quite difficult for patients to evaluate numbers that contain the number “zero”, for example, they understand 2050 as 250. They also have difficulty understanding which number is greater and which is less, so 300 may be less than 500. The primary form of the disease leads to a disorder objective digit assessment of numbers. The patient perceives a number in the form of an object, for example, 10 houses, 50 kopecks, etc. With this disease, the understanding of all computational operations suffers; only in rare cases does adding numbers remain possible. The most difficult task for patients is to perform the subtraction operation, especially if the numbers differ from each other by tens. Sometimes the primary form of acalculia occurs in combination with speech impairment.

When the frontal region of the brain is damaged, patients are able to perform basic arithmetic calculations and understand the principle of number digits. However, certain difficulties arise when manipulating more complex numbers and actions.

The secondary form of the disease occurs against the background of already existing neuropsychological syndromes. This form of acalculia is associated with lesions of the following parts of the brain:

occipital;
temporal;
prefrontal.

When the occipital region is affected, a disturbance in the visual perception of numbers is observed; as a rule, the secondary form of the disease occurs against the background of alexia and optical agnosia. The patient cannot visually distinguish numbers with similar spellings, although the place value concept of numbers is often intact. Quite often, this syndrome occurs in combination with amnesia for the names of numbers.

If the temporal region of the cerebral cortex is affected, the patient has a defect in the auditory perception of numbers. Mainly found in acoustic-mnestic and. Damage to the prefrontal areas indicates impairment in the understanding of arithmetic operations. This syndrome is usually observed when the dominant hemisphere of the brain is affected. For left-handed people, the right hemisphere is dominant, for right-handed people, the left hemisphere is dominant.

Treatment method

The technique depends on the stage of acalculia, its type and, of course, the age of the patient.

In adults

Correction of the syndrome in a sexually mature person may include classes with a specialist and various computer programs. The doctor will gradually lead the patient to understand the concept of “number”. After this, he will be taught mathematical operations: from the simplest to the more complex. Regular exercise will lead to good results. For auditory problems with number perception, there is no need for a special technique.

In children

I often use visualization. Restoring the counting function is carried out using various pictures, drawings, and arithmetic sticks. The main thing is that the baby is interested and perceives it as a game.

Prognosis and prevention

Acalculia is a separate symptom in the structure of the underlying brain pathology; its prognosis is inextricably linked with the nature and course of the underlying disease. Correct therapy and the patient’s young age ensure 100% restoration of counting function after trauma, encephalitis, acute intoxication, and lacunar stroke. Persistent acalculia negatively affects the patient’s quality of life and worsens his social adaptation. Unfavorable prognostic factors are cerebral anomalies, old age, extensiveness of the affected area, the impossibility of radical removal of the tumor process, and the steady progression of degenerative pathology. Prevention comes down to the prevention of TBI, infectious diseases, perinatal pathology, toxic lesions, and timely treatment of cerebrovascular diseases.

What complications can the syndrome cause?

The manifestation of acalculia syndrome significantly inhibits personality development. She becomes poorly trained, because she perceives the material worse. A specialist with this syndrome quickly loses his qualifications. In addition, having such a disease, many feel inferior. This is where mental disorders appear.

Acalculia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by loss of the ability to perform arithmetic operations and perceive numbers. Develops when the dominant hemisphere is damaged: in right-handed people, the left hemisphere, in left-handed people, the right hemisphere.

Acalculia also often develops against the background of an underlying neurological or mental illness. Thus, acalculia is often combined with the following diseases: optical agnosia, alexia, attention deficit,.

Classification

It is customary to distinguish two types of acalculia according to the mechanism of occurrence: primary and secondary. Primary appears as a result of the appearance of certain violations in the area responsible for the score.

The secondary form of pathology appears due to damage to other areas involved in arithmetic operations. This type is divided into 4 subspecies:

optical – people have impairments in number recognition;
auditory – there are problems with the sound perception of numbers;
amnestic – disorders affect auditory-verbal memory;
frontal - a person cannot perform any arithmetic operations.

Types and forms of the disease

The development of acalculia occurs with disorders of various cognitive systems. Depending on which cognitive function is affected, the following types of disease are distinguished:

Also, cases of acalculia can be divided on the basis of primary and secondary.

Primary (specific) – caused by lesions of areas of the cerebral cortex, the following types are distinguished:

Frontal
- caused by dysfunction of the frontal lobe of the brain, which is responsible for the control and regulation of all human mental functions. The ability to count is impaired due to deviations in the organization of conscious activity.
Parietal (parieto-occipital)
- occurs when the parieto-occipital areas of the brain are damaged. The patient’s concept of “number”, understanding of the essence of counting operations, and perception of spatial coordinates are impaired.

Secondary (nonspecific) – occurs due to a neuropsychiatric disease, the following types are distinguished:

Difference from dyscalculia

Acalculia are similar concepts, but there is a difference between them. It lies in the fact that dyscalculia is a consequence of congenital disorders of brain development and with it mathematical knowledge is not fully absorbed. Acalculia is an acquired condition, and occurs due to neurological injuries and disorders acquired during life.

Diagnosis of dyscalculia

Due to the fact that numeracy disorder is often combined with other types of pathology of cognitive functions, acalculia syndrome may not be diagnosed at all (simply not noticed behind the leading cognitive deficit). However, its identification is necessary work, on the basis of which a system of therapeutic measures is developed.

Treatment of acalculia, just like correction of dyscalculia, is a labor-intensive and lengthy process. This requires close contact between the doctor and the patient.

First of all, therapeutic measures are aimed at the cause of the development of the syndrome. Only by eliminating or correcting etiological factors can you fully work on restoring numeracy skills. If acalculia is secondary, work is carried out in parallel on other lost cognitive functions. In this case it is necessary to observe:

the principle of comprehensiveness of treatment - a combined medical, psychological and pedagogical impact is assumed;
systematic approach - activities are aimed not only at the isolated restoration of the skill of counting operations, but also at the root cause of the defect;
staging, continuity and duration of work with the patient for a better treatment result;
taking into account the psychological atmosphere during the process of restoring numeracy skills;
taking into account the characteristics of other higher mental functions (gnosis, praxis, speech).

Currently, due to the ubiquity of the need for counting operations, the problem of forming mathematical concepts is quite acute. The situation is aggravated not only by the possibility of acquired loss of counting skills, but also by a defect in the ability to perform arithmetic operations with a delay in the formation of the counting center in the cortex.

Acalculia and dyscalculia can manifest themselves in various combinations with other cognitive disorders and significantly reduce a person’s social adaptation. Timely and comprehensive correction of lost or undeveloped skills to perform arithmetic operations can significantly improve treatment results and improve the patient’s quality of life.

Parents can see dyscalculia in children themselves; if pathology manifests itself, they should immediately consult a doctor. The specific type of disease is determined after consultation with a speech therapist, neurologist, or psychologist.

When a child talks with doctors, he is asked to count, perform a simple arithmetic operation, and arrange cards with numbers in decreasing or increasing order. Depending on the violations identified during the execution of tasks, the type of disease will be determined.

Symptoms of the disorder

Symptoms of acalculia vary depending on the form of the disease.

In the primary form of the disorder, the patient experiences the following symptoms:

difficulty understanding the difference between seemingly similar numbers (for example, 147 and 174);
inability to perceive the category of numerical digits;
difficulties performing simple arithmetic operations;
violation of understanding of the concept of “number”;
lack of ability to compare numerical values;
the perception of spatial coordinates is impaired;
difficulties in estimating numbers containing the digit “zero”;
Difficulty with subtraction, but addition is relatively easy.

The secondary form of acalculia is manifested by the following symptoms:

there is no visual perception of numbers, and ignorance of their names;
the perception of numbers and mathematical operations by ear is impaired;
problems with understanding mathematical operations, planning them and controlling their execution.

Treatment of acalculia

Therapy is aimed at relieving the etiopathogenetic mechanisms of the underlying disease and subsequent restoration of lost neurological functions, including the ability to operate with numbers. Treatment is carried out in stages.

Drug therapy for the underlying disease:

Correction of cerebral hemodynamics
. For intracranial hemorrhages, antifibrinolytics (gamma-aminocaproic acid), angioprotectors (calcium preparations, sodium etamsylate) are used; for cerebral ischemia, vasodilators (vinpocetine), microcirculation-improving agents (pentoxifylline), and thrombolytics (nadroparin).
Neurometabolic therapy
. It is performed in varying volumes for almost any cerebral lesion. Includes nootropics, amino acids, antioxidants, combination agents.
Prevention of cerebral edema
. Diuretic pharmaceuticals are prescribed, and if edema threatens, osmodiuretics are administered by drip.
Psychotropic drugs
. Sedatives, tranquilizers, and neuroleptics are used according to indications to relieve psychomotor agitation, emotional lability, and aggressiveness.
Etiotropic therapy of infections
. Required for patients with infectious brain damage, it is produced in accordance with the established nature of the pathogen (bacterial, viral, parasitic).

Rehabilitation measures:

Arithmetic lessons
. Must fully comply with the structure of the identified violations. Various techniques include using number cards, restoring ideas about number digits, pronouncing numbers, and performing arithmetic operations.
Psychotherapy
. It is necessary to correct the patient’s attitude towards emerging problems in the intellectual sphere and to form a positive attitude toward rehabilitation sessions.
Speech therapy classes.
Indicated for auditory agnosia. Conducted by a speech therapist as part of the correction of aphasia.

In the case of an acute process (stroke, encephalitis, TBI), pharmacotherapy is first carried out, rehabilitation is carried out after the acute condition is relieved. In the chronic course of the underlying pathology (chronic cerebral ischemia, degenerative lesions of the central nervous system), drug therapy is combined with restorative therapy. Radical neurosurgical treatment is indicated for patients with intracranial tumors.

Inspection and diagnostics

A defectologist, psychologist, psychiatrist, or specialist in neuropsychology can identify the disease.

Numeracy disorder is rarely the only cognitive disorder and is often accompanied by other pathologies. Acalculia may not be detected during the initial examination and diagnosis due to more intense manifestations of other disorders.

The diagnosis can be made after performing arithmetic tests and analyzing them. Excessively low results indicate pathology. It is also necessary to use such diagnostic measures as tests to identify pathologies of speech, writing, reading, spatial orientation, and praxis.

Forms

Depending on the pathogenesis, the following types of this disease are distinguished:

Practognostic. The child is unable to count objects, determine how many there are, or compare the numbers of one and another group.
Verbal. The child makes mistakes when he names numbers, the actions that are performed on them, and geometric figures.
Graphic. The child is unable to write down numbers, symbols of mathematical operations, or draw geometric shapes.
Dyslexic. The child makes mistakes when reading numbers and arithmetic signs in the problem statement.
Operating room. It is difficult for a child to perform mathematical operations with numbers or solve simple or complex examples. A child may experience several groups of symptoms. After determining the type of disease, specialists develop therapy aimed at correcting existing disorders and preventing the development of other types of dyscalculia.

Treatment and correction

When treating acalculia, the main therapeutic measures should be aimed at eliminating the causes of the disease.

The choice of correction program depends on the form of the disease and, accordingly, the causes of its occurrence. Complex therapy is carried out by the following specialists: clinical psychologist, defectologist, psychiatrist, neuropsychology specialist.

Primary violation

In the primary form of acalculia, the main task is to restore the patient’s perception of numbers and their digits. Special techniques are used, the main principle of which is to work with the patient’s visual memory.

Cards with images of numbers, objects and their quantities are used. It is preferable to use bright and varied colors, as this promotes better perception and memory. When working with children, it is advisable to use play forms.

Working with numbers involves the need to decompose any of them into variations. An auxiliary tool can be sticks. For example, the patient is given the number 7 and given the task of breaking it down into its possible components.

The patient performs this task by arranging the sticks in the following combinations: 3+4, 2+5, 1+6. All actions are recorded in a therapy diary. As the result progresses, oral commentary on mathematical operations is added - all operations are accompanied by pronunciation. This helps develop the ability to count mentally.

If the perception of the names of numbers and their digits is impaired, the work of specialists is to pronounce numbers from 1 to 100 together with the patient, and provide parallel explanations regarding units and tens. One of the exercises is to write numbers in numbers under their letter symbols. For example, next to the words two hundred and forty one write 241.

After 3 lessons, oral forms of work and voicing of arithmetic operations should be added to visual and figurative materials.

Therapy for the secondary form

Treatment for the secondary form of acalculia is selected depending on the area of damage to the cerebral cortex:

Treatment

Acalculia requires therapy based on eliminating the underlying cause. The form of the syndrome directly affects how computational abilities are restored. Responsibility for this lies with clinical psychologists, speech pathologists, neuropsychologists and psychiatrists.

Therapy of the primary form

In this case, the key goal is to restore understanding of numbers and their place value structure. Among the most effective methods are the following:

method of understanding digits;
method of working with numbers;
visual method.

Special techniques based on visual memory are usually used in severe forms of the disease. These can be cards laid out in a row in front of the patient with the image of the number of objects and the corresponding numbers.

The game form in the case of children brings a more tangible effect. For example, under the number 4 there will be 4 books on the card.

The color scheme of objects should be bright and varied, since color plays an important role in the process of memorization and perception.

The essence of the method of working with numbers is the need for the patient to break any number into the maximum possible variations. Sticks are great for this exercise. For example, the patient is asked to break the number 7 into possible variations.

Interesting on the topic: Gender dysphoria: gender discrepancy with one’s own feelings

All completed actions must be recorded in a diary. Over time, the sticks can be disposed of and replaced with verbal commentary on the arithmetic operation if the patient makes progress. All counting operations will need to be spoken out loud, then you can switch to a whisper, and as a result, the person learns to count in his head.

If the inability to analyze the digits of numbers is accompanied by a violation of their names, it is important to pronounce all numbers up to 100, and the work of the speech pathologist will be to identify the difference between ones and tens.

An equally effective exercise is when the patient needs to write the name of the number under its name. For example, under the inscription three hundred and forty-seven, the patient should write 347.

Only the first 2-3 lessons are conducted in a visual-figurative style, after which a gradual transition to vocal voicing of processes is relevant. In adults, mild stage acalculia is corrected more effectively than in children.

Implications and Limitations

Acalculia can cause various complications. Such negative consequences include (difficulties in composing and perceiving sentences), paraphasia (replacement of sounds, incorrect use of sounds), speech embolus (obsessive repetition of a word or phrase).

The consequences of acalculia also include a decrease in an individual’s social adaptation due to a combination of the disease with other cognitive impairments. As a result, the patient's quality of life decreases.

When the disease develops in children, this causes problems in learning, social adaptation at school, impairs communication skills and can negatively affect the child’s further cognitive development. Children may develop low self-esteem and depression.

Dyscalculia is the inability to operate with mathematical categories, the inability to understand the essence of arithmetic operations, the concepts of “number”, “sum”, “triangle” and the like. As a rule, this disorder appears in children of preschool and primary school age, but it can also occur in adults. Dyscalculia is difficult to diagnose for a non-specialist, so children with this pathology often end up in specialized classes for schoolchildren with mental development disorders.

Approximately 10% of schoolchildren suffer from some form of dyscalculia. Not all parents know that with timely diagnosis even in preschool age, effective measures can be taken to prevent this pathology and make it easier for the child to master the school curriculum.

If a child suffers from manifestations of dyscalculia, he experiences a negative attitude towards the “exact sciences”. Chronic underachievement can also affect mastery of humanities subjects, as well as cause a student’s low social status. He does not have good relationships with his peers, and teachers and parents often put unjustifiably strong pressure on him because of his perceived laziness and lack of diligence. In the future, such children experience difficulties with choosing a profession and self-realization.

Fear of arithmetic - the violation is based on the negative experience of learning to count through coercion and punishment. This unusual phobia is due to the fact that when solving arithmetic examples, especially problems, the child had difficulties or was often scolded and punished. Over time, he developed fear and self-doubt for fear of being punished.
Social problems. They most often occur in children who are brought up in conditions of pedagogical neglect, in a dysfunctional family.
Damage to the parietal lobe of the cerebral cortex due to the pathology of pregnancy and childbirth, brain injuries and neuroinfections, tumors and genetically determined defects.

In adults, this problem often appears due to disruption of the brain. Its occurrence can be caused by hemorrhages, organic lesions in the temporal region, tumors, blood clots, cysts and traumatic brain injuries. Various psychological traumas can also provoke the occurrence of dyscalculia. If you have problems using mathematical knowledge, you should contact a neuropsychiatrist.

Dyscalculia in children often occurs due to disorders of mental activity. These include:

disturbance in the processing of visual information;
decreased concentration;
violation of logical thinking;
problems with assimilation and memorization of information.

Dyscalculia can be combined with reading and writing disorders such as dysgraphia and dyslexia, as well as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

Causes of acalculia

Various forms of pathology are associated with damage to the cortex of the parietal, occipital, temporal, and frontal lobes of the brain. The main etiofactors leading to pathological changes in the cerebral cortex are:

Cerebrovascular pathology
. Acalculia can occur with acute disturbance of cerebral blood flow (ischemic, hemorrhagic stroke), with chronic cerebral ischemia, leading to gradually increasing vascular dementia.
Traumatic brain injuries
. Calculation disorders are associated with brain contusion, accompanied by the formation of hematomas, areas of crushing of the brain matter involving areas of the cortex that are involved in the counting process.
Neuroinfections
. Along with other cognitive impairments, acalculia accompanies encephalitis, meningoencephalitis, and encephalomyelitis of variable etiology.
Intoxication
. Damage to the cerebral cortex is possible in acute poisoning, chronic intoxication, including those caused by dysmetabolic processes (hyperglycemia, uremia).
Brain tumors. Loss of cortical functions is caused by convexital neoplasms (gliomas, meningiomas), intracerebral tumors that grow or compress the cortex.
Degenerative diseases of the central nervous system
: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, leukodystrophies, Alzheimer's disease. Acalculia is caused by progressive atrophy of the cerebral cortex.

Acalculia in childhood is more often associated with abnormalities of brain development, perinatal pathology (fetal hypoxia, intrauterine infection, intracranial birth injury), hereditary diseases and dysmetabolic syndromes.

Symptoms of the problem

Children suffering from dyscalculia are not able to understand what a number is and on what principle the number series is built; they cannot distinguish and remember numbers. They cannot perform operations with numerical values and do not know how to decompose them into terms. It is difficult for them to compare the number of objects, perform simple arithmetic operations and carry out calculations according to the internal plan, that is, to count “in their minds”.

Symptoms of dyscalculia:

difficulty recognizing and writing numbers;
inability to tell time and navigate hours, minutes, seconds;
impaired coordination of fine movements;
inability to determine the distance traveled or measure the length of a segment;
difficulty in perceiving the concepts “less” and “more”;
the impossibility of solving problems without illustrative support;
difficulties in solving logical problems and performing actions with abstract categories;
inability to visually determine the number of objects, putting them into groups without counting them one by one.

As soon as relatives discover the above symptoms in a child, you should immediately seek advice from a speech therapist or psychotherapist. The specialist will conduct a differential diagnosis, determine the form of the disorder, identify the causes of its occurrence and develop an effective correction method.

Due to a violation in the processing of visual information, the child can solve examples only if their objective component is present. The child cannot independently imagine what is written in the task conditions. In addition, schoolchildren in primary grades are unable to rationally calculate their free time, which leads to poor academic performance and behavior problems in the future. This aspect is described quite fully in the video below:

Slide captions:

Clinical and psychological characteristics of dyscalculia and acalculia

Dyscalculia! Dyscalculia is a specific disorder of learning to count, manifesting itself at different ages in the preschool and school populations.

Acalculia! Acalculia is a violation of the ability to perform arithmetic operations caused by damage to the cortex of the left hemisphere of the brain. It is rare in isolated form and is often combined with aphasia.

understanding the bit structure of number and the concept of number; understanding the internal composition of numbers and the connections between numbers; understanding the left and right components of a number, the meaning of zero; listing and building automated digital, especially ordinal, series; performing basic computational operations (addition, especially with passing through ten, subtraction, division, multiplication); recognition of numeric characters; correlation of numbers in arithmetic operations; memorizing multiplication tables; solving problems that require understanding the meaning and several logical operations with retention of certain actions in memory; visual-spatial perception of the connection between numbers and the verbalization of the counting process; revealing the mathematical content of diagrams and pictures leading to the correct answer; performing complex logical-abstract actions included in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, etc. Symptoms of specific dyscalculia are expressed in difficulties:

Dyscalculia is caused by a number of mechanisms that combine the immaturity of higher mental functions involved in the process of mastering counting skills (attention, memory, abstract logical thinking), visual-spatial and visual-perceptive gnosis, and emotional-volitional reactions. It should be excluded: counting disorders caused by mental retardation, inadequate training, emotional disturbances, visual and hearing disorders, social deprivation. The severity of dyscalculia can be expressed from mild and moderate to high, depending on the age-related development of higher mental functions.

Unstable behavior of children is often noted against the background of social disadvantage and pedagogical neglect.

Complex medical and pedagogical activities are carried out in outpatient clinics, specialized children's institutions and a school speech therapy center. It is expected that specialists from different fields will work together: a speech therapist, a psychologist, a neurologist, etc. The complex of diagnostic measures must include a speech therapy examination using neuropsychological testing at the beginning and end of the course of treatment. This includes studies of impressive speech, expressive speech, gnosis, praxis, functions of reading, writing, counting, memory, constructive-spatial activity, and intelligence. Depending on the severity of dyscalculia and the forms of its manifestation, classes are aimed at developing the concept of number composition, counting skills, logical-abstract and visual-spatial mental activity, developing the ability to program arithmetic (mathematical) structures, and developing self-control processes. Treatment for dyscalculia:

Visual processing weaknesses (When a person has general problems processing visual information, it is sometimes called “nonverbal learning difficulties.” When these are the underlying problems in school math, they are often accompanied by problems with spelling and handwriting.) Math "phobia" (Some students develop a fear or "phobia" due to negative experiences in the past, inconsistent learning, or lack of self-confidence.) Problems with sequencing (Students who have problems sequencing and organizing detailed information often have difficulty remembering specific facts and formulas needed to perform mathematical calculations. If this is the difficulty, then mathematical problems are often accompanied by difficulties in other areas: reading, spelling, in general, anything that requires memorizing specific details. Problems with establishing sequences often exist in people with dyslexia or dysgraphia.) Causes of dyscalculia:

A rare form of acalculia, in which counting disorders are detected on their own, regardless of other disorders of higher cortical functions. Secondary acalculia is spoken of in cases where counting disorders are part of the structure of a neuropsychological syndrome in combination with memory impairment, aphasic symptoms, and pronounced perseverations. Acalculia is included in the syndrome of almost all forms of aphasia, in which speech impairment often masks defects in counting and counting operations. Primary acalculia.

Primary acalculia occurs, which occurs when the parietal parts of the brain are damaged. This form is the main one - here arithmetic operations are violated from their essential side. Patients lose their understanding of spatial reference schemes, their concept of number and the concept of digit capacity of its recording are disrupted. Often these patients do not understand the meaning of arithmetic signs and cannot carry out the actions indicated by them. Training of patients in this group is aimed primarily at restoring spatial reference schemes, restoring the concept of number (its composition and digit capacity), understanding the composition of arithmetic operations, etc. A significant role in this training belongs to external supports, bringing the structure of operations outside, as well as means facilitating the gradual internalization of restored actions. At a certain stage of learning, a significant role belongs to loud speech - pronunciation.

Secondary disturbances of action often occur with damage to the occipital parts of the cerebral cortex and occur in the syndrome of visual perception disorders. Remedial training, aimed at overcoming defects in the perception of numbers and their combinations, leads to the restoration of counting. Psychological analysis of this process allows us to once again verify the complex structure of intellectual activity, which includes in its structure, in addition to specific operations, a general strategy that subordinates operational components. Both of these sides of the intellectual act and their interdependence are important and necessary. Violation of one of them inevitably leads to disruption of all activities as a whole. But a violation of each of these aspects is accompanied by a different psychological structure of the disintegration of intellectual activity, which is associated with the topic of the lesion.

Epidemiology. The prevalence of the disorder is approximately 6% of school-age children; gender representation is unknown. Etiology. Not much more is known about the causes of the disorder than why mathematically gifted children are born. It is assumed that there is a cortical right hemisphere deficit, mainly in the area of the occipital lobe, which is responsible for the processing of visual-spatial information and, accordingly, for the development of mathematical skills. Developmental decline is more related to visual spatial and perceptual skills rather than auditory and verbal skills. This hypothesis has not yet been confirmed by instrumental research methods. The etiopathogenesis of the disorder is most likely multifactorial. Counting disorder.

The disorder can manifest itself in any combination of impairments in a range of skills, including linguistic (using mathematical terms, organizing verbal content in the form of mathematical symbols), perceptual (recognizing numbers or mathematical symbols, grouping objects), concentration (concentrating when copying numbers, observing operational symbols) and actual mathematical ones (counting, using multiplication tables, finding a sequence of operations). Clinic.

Violations are detected with the beginning of schooling, when, despite satisfactory progress in other subjects, patients noticeably lag behind their peers even in adding single-digit numbers. For some time, the disorder may not be too noticeable if the child relies on his perseverance and ability to learn material by heart, but it becomes completely obvious when the program becomes more complex and the demands on spatial thinking increase. Skills that require abstract mathematical thinking are also challenging, but to a lesser extent than basic arithmetic. There may be comorbidity with impaired attention, speech pathology, other disorders of school skills, as well as secondary emotional and behavioral problems, which patients pay attention to first. Lack of success in correcting the disorder may be complicated by decreased motivation to study and self-esteem, as well as depressive symptoms.

1) test scores for numeracy skills are at least two standard deviations below the level that is normal for the child’s age and general intellectual development; 2) reading and spelling skills within the norm or subnorm (two standard deviations from the average); 3) there is no history of significant reading or spelling impairments; 4) there are also no pronounced signs of pedagogical neglect; 5) difficulties are observed from the very beginning of learning to count; 6) the disorder meeting criterion 1 interferes with school learning or daily activities requiring numeracy; 7) non-verbal IQ level above 70. Diagnosis.

The principles of therapy are similar to those for other disorders of school skills, emphasizing the individualization of the psychological and pedagogical program in relation to the profile of the violation of mathematical skills in each individual case. Treatment.

Arithmetic operations may also be impaired if the frontal systems of the brain are damaged. In this case, their violations take on a different picture. They do not affect the essential side of actions, but concern them only secondary and are the result of the collapse of general forms of intellectual activity. The disorder can manifest itself in any combination of impairments in a range of skills, including linguistic (using mathematical terms, organizing verbal content in the form of mathematical symbols), perceptual (recognizing numbers or mathematical symbols, grouping objects), concentration (concentrating when copying numbers, observing operational symbols) and actual mathematical ones (counting, using multiplication tables, finding a sequence of operations). Conclusion.

Acalculia refers to diseases resulting from damage to certain areas of the cerebral cortex. A feature of the disease is impaired ability to perform computations, lack of understanding of the bit structure of numbers and arithmetic operations.

Patients often confuse visually similar numbers, for example, 416 and 614, and have difficulty counting. Depending on the type, the disease can act as a single symptom or be part of the structure of neuropsychological syndromes. The disease often develops due to traumatic brain injury.

Forms of dyscalculia

It can be congenital or acquired, primary or secondary. Experts identify the following forms:

Practognostic – the inability to keep an abstract count, to classify objects by shape, size, quantity.
Verbal – the inability to name numbers, geometric figures and the actions that are performed with them.
Graphic – problems with converting numbers into digit form, depicting mathematical symbols, and geometric figures.
Lexical – characterized by errors in reading arithmetic signs and numbers, in understanding the terms of the problem, the essence of mathematical operations, and violations of spatial visualization.
Operational – the child has difficulty performing simple arithmetic operations and solving basic examples and problems.
Arithmeria is the inability to learn computational operations.
Pseudodyscalculia is a violation of the mastery of mathematics due to reduced motivation for learning and poorly organized learning process.

In some cases, children suffering from dyscalculia may experience symptoms of several forms of this disease. After determining the type, the specialist develops therapy aimed at correcting the disorder and further preventing the development of other forms in the child.

There is such a thing as acalculia - this is a neuropsychological symptom that manifests itself in a violation of counting and counting operations due to damage to various parts of the cerebral cortex. It should not be confused with dyscalculia.

Causes of dyscalculia

In studying the causes of such a disorder, scientists agree that the main thing is a disruption in the functioning of the cerebral cortex. This can be either a consequence of mental retardation, mental retardation, or a variant of a genetic hereditary malfunction, as well as a consequence of strong psychotraumatic factors. Impaired functioning of the visual analyzer, impaired processing of received information, difficulties in analytical and synthetic activity can also be the cause of dyscalculia. Therefore, we should talk about dyscalculia proper in cases of intact intelligence, against the background of which difficulties in mastering simple mathematics appear.

Dyscalculia in children can manifest itself independently, or in combination with reading (dyslexia) and writing disorders (dysgraphia).

Test tasks for diagnostics

You can suspect dyscalculia in a child even before school starts. It is enough to ask a 5-7 year old child to count something, after which you can see that performing basic mathematical operations causes him significant difficulties.

Test tasks for children of primary school age:

count from 10 to 20 (counting up to 10 can be perfect);
arrange numbers in ascending and descending order;
compare two numbers;
determine the name of geometric shapes, classify them by color, size;
perform arithmetic operations (addition and subtraction);
analyze the human body diagram;
determine the direction left and right.

After the examination, the specialist can accurately determine the form of dyscalculia and begin work on its correction.

Symptoms of dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is not only a violation of the ability to count, it is a complex disorder of mental activity that manifests itself in various symptoms.

The child does not understand what a number is and does not know the names of the numbers.
He does not understand the principle by which the number series is built, and is not able to determine the place of the number in the sequence.
The child is not able to perform operations with complex numbers and does not understand how to decompose a number into terms.
The child's ability to compare numbers is impaired. He doesn't understand what a higher or lower number means.
Comparisons of the number and size of items are also difficult.
It is difficult for a child to perform arithmetic operations on numbers; he does not understand the meaning of these actions. He is only capable of performing basic arithmetic operations using manual rather than mental arithmetic.
The child does not know the sequence of arithmetic operations and is not able to solve examples of several operations.
He cannot remember the names of numbers and mathematical terms and does not know what they mean.
The child is unable to write numbers correctly.
Due to impaired visualization ability, the child is able to solve problems only if they have an objective component. He is not able to imagine what is described in the problem.

In general, dyscalculia in children manifests itself as an inability to understand and solve mathematical and logical problems. The child is not able to remember and understand the conditions of the problem and develop an algorithm for solving it. Dyscalculia in schoolchildren is often associated with the fact that they are also unable to correctly calculate their time. All this leads to poor performance at school.

How is dyscalculia corrected?

Correction (treatment) is carried out in a clinic or specialized medical center. The following specialists are involved in this: psychoneurologist, neuropathologist, child psychologist, speech therapist. The main treatment is carried out in a playful way; specialized computer programs and interactive sessions between the child and a specialist can be used.

On average, 30–90 sessions are required to eliminate the problem; in severe cases, their number reaches 250.

Methods and exercises for correction:

solving problems close to life situations (in a store, in the family, while walking);
imitation of objects with sticks, matches, buttons and other improvised materials;
creation by the teacher of diagrams and memos containing an algorithm for completing tasks;
transition from verbal pronunciation of one’s actions to the internal plan;
measuring objects with a ruler, determining values by eye, weighing bulk objects, measuring the volume of liquids;
training in automatic perception of groups of objects up to five pieces, all components of the group must have a different color and size;
accompanying the solution of problems with a drawing performed by the child.

Various games for young patients suffering from this pathology are aimed at teaching counting and performing basic mathematical operations. The baby is taught to sort objects according to various characteristics. After this, the specialist helps the child master simple mathematical problems and operations. During the training, it is necessary to ensure that the little patient understands the sequence of banal operations and actions he performs. Next, the child is explained how to correctly separate numbers and objects into parts and assemble them into a single whole.

To get rid of this pathology, it is necessary to work with the child from an early age, sort shapes, seeds, cereals, transfer them into various containers, accompany all these tasks with speech, and also introduce mathematical terms (one-many, numbers, shapes, etc.). d.). You need to teach your child to correctly name numbers, geometric shapes, their characteristics (size, color) and the actions performed on them.

Next, the child learns to correctly use the learned terms and words in everyday life, in conversations with relatives, peers, and friends. Particular attention must be paid to translating spoken symbols into written form. The child must definitely learn to write numerical values and arithmetic signs correctly.

Along with the correction of dyscalculia, it is also necessary to develop abstract and logical thinking, visual memory, spatial orientation and musical abilities in the baby. He must learn to independently control his actions and the ability to correctly distribute personal time. Here is an example of several exercises:

To treat this disorder in a child or adult, doctors can prescribe certain medications, such as Glycine, Cortexin and B vitamins. It is doctors, but not speech therapists or speech pathologists (unfortunately, they often prescribe medications, although they do not have the right to do so ).

General characteristics of the violation

The disease is divided into several types, which simplifies the choice of treatment method.

Description

Acalculia and dyscalculia are two different conditions, although they are quite similar in appearance.
In the first case, we are talking about a symptom of the underlying disease, and in the second there is an independent disease. Acalculia was first described by Swedish pathologist F. Henschen. It develops if the part of the brain in which the center responsible for mathematical functions is located is affected. A combination of this condition and sensory aphasia is often observed.

There is also the opposite condition - Savant syndrome, in which a person, on the contrary, has unique, excessively high abilities in mathematics.

Acalculia and dyscalculia: differences

These two disorders, one a symptom and the other an independent pathology, are very similar in external manifestations.
Therefore, without collecting an anamnesis and a general examination, it is not always possible to immediately understand which of them is occurring. In the case of acalculia, treatment will be aimed at eliminating the disease or brain damage that the condition is a manifestation of. Therapy is carried out not only by a speech therapist using exercises, as in the case of dyscalculia, but also by doctors using medications.

Dyscalculia - What kind of disease is this?

Prevention methods

Precautionary measures to prevent dyscalculia can be carried out in early preschool childhood. First of all, the most complete correction of existing neurological pathologies should be carried out. At an early age, you can start learning basic mathematics in a playful way.

Parents should clearly demonstrate to their child how to count objects, shapes and perform basic mathematical tasks, for example, while swimming, you can ask your child to count blue balls or catch three red balls with a net. When teaching a child to count, it is necessary to carefully pronounce the names of numbers, and then arithmetic operations. You can show the number of objects to the child on your fingers or using small toys and objects. Gradually, you need to teach your child to correlate the number of objects with a specific number.

To prevent a child from developing operational dyscalculia, he must be taught the rules of counting and the order of mathematical operations. To prevent verbal and lexical problems, it is necessary to ask the child to say the name of the numbers when counting, and when looking at various figures and other objects - their color and shape. Parents should monitor the correct use of certain symbols and, if their child makes mistakes, calmly correct them, without using harsh punishments.

To prevent the occurrence of dyscalculia in graphic form, it is necessary to pay special attention to the development of the child’s visual memory, fine motor skills, coordination of movements through finger and outdoor games, collecting cut pictures, cubes, puzzles, playing with small parts of the construction set, stringing beads on a cord, identifying them shape and color. The productive activities of children are very effective in this regard - modeling, drawing, appliqué, making crafts, origami.

Moms and dads must pay attention to the development of thinking and memory in the child, and then, in the future, the occurrence of dyscalculia can be avoided.

Acalculia: symptoms and causes of the disease

The complexity of modern life leads to an increase in the number of people suffering from mental illness every year. According to statistics, more than 35% of humanity suffers from mental disorders.

The most common form is depression . Among the disorders there is a disease such as acalculia. This is a person's loss of the ability to count. The disease is one of the most serious, but it is curable.

Reasons for the development of the disorder

Acalculia is an acquired disease that develops due to damage to certain areas of the brain. The cause may be injury or the development of tumors. Very often, acalculia develops against the background of a mental disorder.

The brain damage in which the disease develops is concentrated in the parietal, occipital and temporal cortex of the brain. The causes of such lesions may be:

Heredity.
Various neurological disorders during the perinatal period.
Tumors in the brain.
Intoxication of varying degrees of intensity.
Brain damage due to the development of infectious diseases.
Negative impact of the social environment.
Traumatic brain injuries.
Cerebrovascular diseases.

As a rule, this is a symptom of some mental illness, but acalculia can also act as an independent pathology.

Aspects of the syndrome

For the first time, information about such a disease as acalculia appeared in 1919. Based on the results of the research, the pathology was divided into primary and secondary. The primary form develops with damage to the temporal, parietal and occipital parts of the cerebral cortex. With this development, the patient’s ability to analyze and synthesize spatial representations is impaired.

The patient cannot distinguish the numbers or perform any actions with them. Doctors have established the fact that the difficulty arises due to a person’s lack of understanding of “left, right, up, down.”

These disorders are most difficult in children. The child may not develop an understanding of space by the time he starts school. This will lead to the inability to master arithmetic numbers.

Symptoms of primary acalculia are:

No difference between numbers. For example, the patient does not understand the difference between 545 and 455.
Inability to differentiate between digits of numbers.
Complete lack of concept of number.
Misunderstanding of spatial coordinates.
Difficulty performing any type of arithmetic operations.

The secondary type of pathology is observed with a general disorder of mental activity or with mental disorders.

Development of the disease in children

At school age, about 5 percent of children suffer from dyscalculia. This is a misunderstanding of the principle of counting, the inability to distinguish between arithmetic operations. Acalculia and dyscalculia are interrelated diseases.

We are talking about acalculia if the child was mentally developed, but lost his ability as a result of injury or disease. With dyscalculia, the child loses the ability to learn any arithmetic operation, and often this is combined with the problem of the inability to recognize letters.

Dyscalculia in children begins to develop from an early age. It is expressed in the fact that it is simply impossible to teach such a child any arithmetic operations. His brain completely refuses to perceive this information. Most often, this disease occurs in children with a genetic predisposition. As a result, the disease develops into mental retardation.

Diagnosis of dyscalculia

The types of dyscalculia are as follows:

Graphic – the child cannot write down numbers and mathematical symbols. He has difficulty depicting geometric shapes.
Verbal - the patient experiences difficulty when asked to name an arithmetic operation.
Dyslexic - this form of the disease manifests itself in the inability to read mathematical symbols.
Operational – the inability to perform an arithmetic operation.

Establishing the type of pathology allows for the most effective correction of dyscalculia.

Treatment

Acalculia is treatable, but to completely eliminate the symptoms, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the pathology, the disease that caused the disorders. A different situation arises with dyscalculia. Since this disease is not acquired, but congenital, treatment involves only correction and preventive measures.

Treatment methods for acalculia will depend on the patient's age and the severity of the disease. If an adult is sick, therapy will be carried out with specialists using various computer programs. The patient is gradually brought to awareness of the concept of number. After this, learning mathematical operations begins, from simple to more complex.

For children, treatment is based on play. Most often, pictures with numbers are used for this. The child is visually taught to distinguish numbers.

Correction of dyscalculia should be carried out by a speech therapist. If necessary, a psychologist and a neurologist can be involved in working with the patient.

Special techniques are being developed for correction. Classes can take place in any place comfortable for the child. The technique consists of a whole set of game exercises that teach counting. Also, classes should be aimed at developing the child’s speech, thinking, and visual abilities.

To eliminate dyscalculia, it is very important to develop competent and coherent speech. Correction should be based on expanding the child’s vocabulary while simultaneously learning mathematical terms. at the very beginning, an understanding of more, less, the name of geometric figures, and the characteristics of an object should be introduced.

The next stage introduces teaching ordinal counting and the use of numbers in speech. The child is taught to compare numbers, objects, their quantity, and quality characteristics. The child forms a connection between a number and its visual expression in writing. Both fine motor skills and thinking develop immediately.

As soon as stable achievements in counting are achieved, the teacher moves on to simple arithmetic operations. The goal is to show the child the logic of the solution.

Prevention of dyscalculia

Preventive measures for the disorder will depend on what type of pathology the patient has:

Graphic – prevention of this type of disorder is possible with the help of exercises for the development of visual images , fine motor skills, coordination between hand movements and vision.

Verbal disorder can be prevented by teaching the child the names of mathematical operations and their essence. Children must be able to use concepts correctly in their speech. All memory functions develop, the child acquires an understanding of shape, color and size.
The practical-gnostic type is prevented by teaching counting skills in mathematics; arithmetic operations must be performed with their sequential pronunciation. It is important that the result is spoken out loud. Visual perception, coordination of movement, and the ability to correlate a real object and its image must develop.
The dyslexic variant is prevented by the development of visual perception in the child. He must have an idea of shape, color, correctly recognize and name mathematical symbols, understand the meaning of signs, develop memory and logical thinking.

All preventive measures are aimed at developing a stable perception of visual mathematical symbols, and then their competent use in arithmetic calculations.

Timely detection of a problem will help eradicate it at the very beginning and improve the child’s performance at school.

Source: https://nevrology.net/sindromy-i-zabolevaniya/akalkuliya-eto.html

Treatment of dyscalculia

Correction of the disorder is carried out in speech therapy centers, as well as in clinics and specialized treatment centers. Effective correction requires the joint work of a speech therapist, a neurologist and a child psychologist. The therapy uses special computer games for children with dyscalculia and interactive sessions with a specialist.

Therapeutic games for dyscalculia are aimed at teaching the child to count and perform mathematical operations. He is taught to compare objects, sort them according to various characteristics. After the child achieves success in this, you can begin to teach him simple arithmetic operations. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the child understands the logic of the operations performed and the simplest mathematical operations. Then he is taught to decompose a whole object or number into parts and assemble them into a whole.

To correct the disorder, it is very important to develop the child’s literate and rich speech and enrich his vocabulary, including mathematical terms. To begin with, the child must correctly name the numbers and the actions that are performed with them, geometric shapes and their characteristics: color, size. The child is then taught to use the learned words correctly in spoken language. Close attention is paid to written literacy: the ability to correctly write down numbers and mathematical symbols.

In parallel with the correction of the inability to count, it is important to carry out the general development of the child’s mental abilities: the development of abstract logical thinking, visual memory, spatial orientation, the ability to predict, and musical abilities. Children are taught self-control and the ability to evaluate and manage their time.

A number of drugs, for example, B vitamins, glycine, cogitum, cortexin, are used for dyscalculia to improve cerebral circulation and activate higher nervous activity.

Differential diagnosis

The first signs of dyscalculia appear in preschool age, when the child first encounters the need to count, and basic mathematical operations cause him difficulties. If parents have identified such problems in their child, they should contact a speech therapist or child psychologist. Specialists carry out differential diagnosis of the type of disorder, identify its causes and develop a correction method.

For an accurate diagnosis, the child is asked to perform a number of mathematical operations:

count from 10 to 20;
compare numbers with each other;
arrange the proposed numbers in descending or ascending order;
perform basic arithmetic operations on numbers;
name and sort different geometric shapes by color and size.

A child’s ability or inability to perform certain groups of mathematical actions allows us to make a clear diagnosis and determine the type of dyscalculia. Further treatment directly depends on this.

Prevention

To prevent violations of the practical-gnostic type, it is recommended to teach children counting skills in preschool age. The child needs to be shown how objects are counted and how simple arithmetic operations are performed. When learning, it is important to pronounce the names of numbers and mathematical operations and accompany this with visualization (show the number of fingers or objects). It is important to develop in a child the ability to correlate a real object and its image. At the same time, the child remembers the names of objects, numbers and arithmetic operations.

To avoid the development of operational dyscalculia, it is important to teach the child the rules of counting and the order of arithmetic operations.

To avoid verbal and dyslexic dyscalculia, it is important to ask the child to pronounce the names of numbers and actions, color, size and shape of geometric figures and objects. At the same time, the parent must control the correct use of certain words and gently correct errors.

To prevent graphic dyscalculia, it is important to develop the child’s visual memory and the ability to recognize and operate with visual images. Fine motor skills and coordination of movements, the ability to calculate hand movements based on visual information, for example, estimate the distance to an object, have time to grab a moving object, are important.

For the prevention of all types of disease, it is important to develop spatial and abstract logical thinking, all types of memory, competent and clear speech, and clear coordination.