Links Between Dyslexia and Dyscalculia

There are so many interconnections in our brains that it is impossible to completely separate one function from another.  Often when people talk about dyslexia they are referring specifically to a difficulty with reading which is the literal definition of dyslexia, but in my opinion it is more of a broad-based language issue rather than just specifically a reading issue.  Anecdotally, I’ve noticed that children with dyslexia often have difficulties with writing (dysgraphia), and/or math (dyscalculia), and/or verbal expression of ideas.  This makes sense when you approach dyslexia as a language issue rather than just a reading issue . . . I consider math to be a language.  Because of the different areas of the brain involved, and the degree to which the processing differences vary from person to person, which area is most problematic (reading, writing, or math) will change depending on the person.  Dyslexia shows up differently for every single person.

I was pleased to discover a research study from 2014 [1] which concluded that children with dyslexia use a less optimal processing route for memory based arithmetic (addition) than children who do not have dyslexia.  The study found that the language areas of the brain used for processing reading are exactly the same areas used for processing addition.  If a child struggles with reading, they are likely to struggle with math to some degree.  It was encouraging to see scientific evidence that supports my personal experiences with dyslexia.

This study is critically important when you consider that the first math skill a child learns is addition.  Even counting 1, 2, 3, 4 . . . is really adding, just adding one to the previous number.  If this basic mathematical skill is a challenge for a child, it sets them up to expect that math will be “hard” or “confusing”.  That type of negative expectation will then affect how they approach math in the future.  Also, addition helps kids to understand the relationships between numbers and how quantities relate to each other. [2]  These are key ideas on which all other math concepts are built.  If a child fails to make those connections between numbers, quantities, and basic addition, then all other math concepts will simply not make sense.

Researchers at Georgetown University are diving in to a four year study to determine if intensive, targeted reading intervention which leads to brain changes that improve reading skills will also improve brain usage and improvements in math, even in children not diagnosed with dyscalculia. [3] I look forward to seeing the results of this study, but study results four years from now doesn’t help students today.

I work from the assumption that if a child is struggling with reading, then they are probably struggling in other areas like math and writing.  Their marks may not flag any specific concerns, but it may take them longer to do the work, be more tiring, or they may be making more mistakes than they could be if they were getting some additional support.  Based on the above research showing that the same areas used for reading are also used for basic math, I wouldn’t hesitate to put some extra effort into those early math skills in addition to working on a structured reading program.  Even if your child is at or near average levels with reading, but struggling with math perhaps the answer is to work on both reading and math skills in conjunction with each other.  In time, the science will show how strong this connection actually is, but in the meantime you’ll never regret strengthening those early skills in all areas.

[1] Evans, Tanya M., et al., “The functional anatomy of single-digit arithmetic in children with developmental dyslexia“. NeuroImage, vol 101, Nov. 1, 2014, pp. 644-652. Science Direct,  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1053811914006119

[2] https://sciencing.com/importance-of-addition-in-kindergarten-12751205.html

[3] https://gumc.georgetown.edu/gumc-stories/researcher-analyzes-potential-connection-between-reading-and-math-disabilities/#