Described as the mathematical equivalent of dyslexia,
dyscalculia is a little-known disorder that makes it extremely
difficult to learn math. While dyslexics struggle with reading
and interpreting words and letters, dyscalculics have a hard
time with basic arithmetic and understanding the meaning and
concepts of numbers. Although often a forgotten stepchild to its
well-known relative dyslexia, dyscalculia affects the same
number of people -- an estimated 5 to 7 percent of the
population, suggests new research in the May 27 issue of
Science. Often first discovered by low scores on math
achievement tests, both children and adults who suffer from
dyscalculia have trouble grasping the size of a number and its
relative value. Unlike dyslexics, however, they don't reverse
the order of numbers when reading them. "Typically, dyscalculics
don't have problems with the order of symbols, but anything with
numbers could cause anxiety or even panic," says Brian
Butterworth, an emeritus professor of cognitive neuroscience a