Dyscalculia Dyscalculia shows up early

Dyscalculia and reading-spelling disorders often show up early

05/10/2014

Millions of people in Germany are struggling with inborn dyscalculia, dyscalculia or a dyslexia disorder called dyslexia. Both disorders are often not recognized or recognized late. This may possibly obstruct the future of the child if a wrong recommendation is made for the secondary school.

Real problems are often recognized late
Often, the real problems behind poor performance at school or fear of classroom lessons are realized too late. For example, only when children develop mental problems or complain in the morning about abdominal pain and headaches. About four to five percent of schoolchildren have to deal with a reading-spelling disorder (dyslexia) and five to six percent with arithmetic disorder (dyscalculia). This can often be used to build a child's future, for example because false recommendations are made for secondary school. However, if parents closely monitor their children and consult with teachers, abnormalities can be detected early.

Performance disorders occur early in the first years of school
Dyscalculia is the term used to describe a congenital arithmetic disorder in which sufferers are unable to cope with basic arithmetic. In addition, they lack the basic understanding of quantities, weight and units of measure. Normally, these disorders occur early in the first years of school. Children always use their fingers to help with dyscalculia. In addition, they can not remember numbers. „It is particularly noticeable when they leave the room of ten and their fingers are no longer sufficient for counting“, said Annette Höinghaus, Managing Director of the Federal Association for Dyslexia and Dyscalculia (BVL). That's why the mathematics material goes past them in elementary school. A tutoring, which consists of a mere repetition of the lesson, bring them not much.

Spelling mistakes persist into adulthood
People with dyslexia can not distinguish letters, put them together incorrectly, or twist words and syllables. „Every word must be worked out again and again“, so Höinghaus. The children also read very haltingly and make many spelling mistakes. You can help with learning reading and writing procedures that emphasize the differences in sounds. However, while reading skills improve over time, spelling deficiencies persisted into adulthood. Dyslexics can also suffer from a computer problem at the same time.

Early diagnosis is important
Dyslexia and dyscalculia usually have nothing to do with diminished intelligence. Of about eight million people affected in Germany goes out of the Federal Association Dyslexia and Dyscalculia (BVL), which meets in Erfurt at its Congress (9 to 11 May). It is important to make a correct diagnosis as soon as possible in order to support the child optimally. „Teachers often do not recognize the disorder as such. They then say that the child has ADHD or is simply weaker.“ Ideally, parents should contact a child psychiatrist or pediatric center if they suspect something. With standardized tests and imaging techniques, professionals can detect a typing error or a reading-spelling weakness. Diagnosis often means relief for both parents and children.

Pick the right funding program
It is not easy for parents to pick the right method, as there are a variety of funding programs and also „learning therapist“ is not a protected term. Höinghaus recommends that parents seek advice from associations for dyslexia and dyscalculia on the spot. It would be good if the child systematically learns to assign letters and sounds and gets to know the word tribe. In addition, parents should feel the learning therapist of their child on the tooth and clarify how he builds the lesson, whether he has a curriculum or if he also tells them intermediate progress. The most important thing is to know whether he also regularly exchanges with the teachers in order to balance what is being practiced in the classroom.

Virtually no financial support
However, parents receive financial support „next to none“, as the managing director of BVL announced. Although it is paid by the health insurance, the diagnosis of disability, but not their therapy. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) has long since listed dyslexia as a disease in its catalog, German health insurance companies have so far refused to recognize the reading-spelling weakness as a disease. The assumption for therapy costs would be approved only in exceptional cases. In addition, the Youth Welfare Office in some cases covers the costs of special support courses. However, parents need to prove that their child is so impaired that they are in danger of becoming mentally handicapped. Normally, however, parents have to pay for the costs themselves. (Ad)