Dyscalculia.

Children with dyscalculia often do not understand numbers. For example, they do not see that the difference between 75 and 80 is the same as between 5 and 10. Also, they have trouble linking amounts (four apples) to the number (4) and the word (four). This makes solving simple math problems hard, as well as reading clocks and handling money. Children with dyscalculia usually do not improve much despite a lot of focused practice. Learning to do tasks automatically is slow or does not happen. Often, a child with dyscalculia has little (spatial) insight, finds reading clocks hard, and has a weak memory.

It is important to spot dyscalculia early. Dyscalculia can only be diagnosed after thorough tests and by a qualified professional. Dyscalculia occurs in about 3 to 6 percent of primary school children. It can run in families, but sometimes it appears for the first time in a family.