 Similar to dyslexia and dyscalculia, dysgraphia is often misunderstood by parents and educators alike. Children with dysgraphia struggle with most aspects of the writing process, including spelling, legibility, word sizing and spacing, and dexterity.
As you might have gathered, this condition shares commonalities with dyslexia in that it is a writing difference/disorder, but there are minor differences that a clinician would be able to notice. Additionally, the presentation of symptoms may appear different. For instance, dysgraphia is more closely associated with the act of transcribing written words, so children with this condition are likely to write more slowly than their peers and fall behind when they’re taking notes. Early Intervention in the Classroom Typically, dysgraphia is first noticed when a child is learning to write, so they might be diagnosed earlier in childhood than their dyslexic peers. For students with writing deficits, co-morbid learning differences/disabilities are very common, especially ADHD. For the child without a solid support system and strategies in place, guilt and shame can become paralyzing. This is why it is so crucial to seek assistance, whether in the form of an IEP or transference into special education, as early as possible. Strategies in Alternative Education Voice-to-print tools, audiobooks, and one-on-one attention with a qualified educator are all strategies that we use at Lake Michigan Academy to help our students with dysgraphia succeed. These tools are especially helpful given what clinicians currently know about dysgraphia: that it is related to fine motor control issues. Our approach to learning is highly individualized and beneficial for our students of all ages. In fact, our students thrive in more personalized and downsized classrooms with minimal sensory overload and distractions that might exist in traditional educational settings. It is important for parents to remember that these differences/disorders are neurological and simply an expression of neurodiversity in human beings. They are not the result of laziness or stubbornness. While dysgraphic students may print more slowly or struggle to type on a laptop, they are not fated to struggle in the post-secondary world. Students with diverse ways of learning are capable of achieving many great things academically and socially, if they are offered the chance.  Unlike its inverse (dyslexia), dyscalculia is not commonly discussed amongst educators and very rarely represented in media. The result is that this condition remains notoriously misunderstood. Myths and stereotypes abound, with plenty of people mistakenly believing that it is simply “math dyslexia,” or while the reality is more complex.
For a child with dyscalculia, math is not just boring: it is fundamentally confusing. They find it difficult to comprehend complex concepts such as large numbers, algebra, and sequences, leading to challenges with more advanced mathematical problems in the later grades. Early Intervention and Effective Teaching Strategies While the causes of the disorder remain largely unknown, some neuroscientists believe that it can result from inadequate synaptic pruning in early childhood, or the process of building neural pathways that lay the foundational understanding of how mathematics work. Early intervention for dyscalculia, as with any learning disability/difference, is crucial. Classroom accommodations, especially when combined with one-on-one instruction and a low teacher-to-student ratio, are an excellent way to proactively assist the child with math learning challenges. Some Strategies for Educators Children with dyscalculia often find it difficult to connect mathematical problems to real-world situations, so practical application is highly beneficial for them. These can be replicated in the classroom either through tangible means, such as graph paper and coins, or prompted by explaining circumstances where this knowledge could be applied. Many parents and public educators lack the knowledge, and certainly the resources, necessary to ensure a child with dyscalculia is able to succeed in the classroom and in their post-secondary endeavors. A comprehensive understanding of the condition, including its symptoms, causes, and treatment, is crucial for parents and teachers. If your child has received a dyscalculia diagnosis and you are seeking alternatives to the traditional education system, Lake Michigan Academy is staffed with special education teachers who are well versed in the specific needs of students with various learning disabilities/differences, including dyscalculia.  Although it wasn’t always so, dyslexia is now quite commonly understood to educators and clinicians. Students presenting with symptoms of dyslexia might struggle with learning guilt and feel insecure about their reading comprehension issues, but most special education schools provide resources that empower and inform both students and their parents.
On the other hand, dyslexia’s inverse, dyscalculia, sometimes known as “math dyslexia,” is much less understood. We have a considerable way to go before it becomes de-stigmatized and normalized in classrooms across America. But what is it, and how can you know if your child is struggling with it? The answer may lie in the brain areas that are used to process numbers. Dyscalculia Testing and Early Intervention While dyslexia affects a student’s ability to process language, dyscalculia makes numbers and math seem like a confusing foreign language. Children will typically show signs in early childhood, and early intervention, as in all cases of learning difference, is the key. Children’s young brains are very malleable. One-on-one tutoring, individualized lesson plans, and compassionate educators are all capable of helping them learn, and even excel, in math. The earlier a child receives a dyscalculia test, the sooner you can get them an official diagnosis and the tools to get them back on track. Some people make it to adulthood without ever receiving a diagnosis, probably due to the fact that many people claim to be “bad at math.” Co-Morbidities and Common Symptoms Unlike most of the population, though, people with dyscalculia actually are neurodivergent, with difficulties related to mathematical reasoning and mastering an understanding of numbers. In early childhood, you may see a student struggle to comprehend the organization of numbers. In adolescence they may struggle to read analog clocks or make change. By the teenage years, when math class becomes much more complex, they will feel hopelessly lost when expected to learn trigonometry and convert fractions. Like most learning disabilities, dyscalculia does not often come alone: it is most commonly co-morbid with ADHD, dyslexia, non-verbal learning disorders, sensory processing disorders, and autism. Treatment in a special education system, then, is typically the most effective at providing a holistic, personalized approach. Frustration and learning guilt are common with dyscalculia, leading to physiological and psychological manifestations: anxiety, depression, insomnia, a phobia of going to school, and even stomach problems. It is crucial to receive testing to see if your child is indeed struggling with dyscalculia, along with any co-morbid learning disabilities. Special education in West Michigan is available and accessible to your family.  If you have a child with learning difficulties, you’re probably aware by now that there are a lot of acronyms. ADHD, CAPD, LD—and the list goes on! If you struggle to memorize what they all mean, don’t worry: there are often many similarities between the represented disorders, too.
This might be discouraging to you, or it might help you keep track of the different disorders we typically work with here at Lake Michigan Academy and in other special education schools. Regardless, we often encounter parents making the transition from traditional to alternative education who have many questions about all of these complicated acronyms—and how their child’s comorbidities tend to present. Comorbidities and Similarities If your child has received a singular neurodevelopmental diagnosis, their clinicians are probably missing something. Statistics show that learning disabilities rarely exist alone. Rather, they are clustered, especially with mental health conditions: there is a high comorbidity, for instance, with disorders such as ADHD and anxiety. However, when it comes to ADD symptoms, they can often resemble symptoms of an entirely different disorder entirely—one that is not neurodevelopmental in nature, but physiological. Sometimes, a child who is bored, restless, or disruptive in the classroom is not displaying ADD symptoms. They are simply processing sound differently. If you suspect that your child might have difficulty understanding what they hear, they can be screened quite easily for a certain disorder that often appears to look like ADHD on the surface. How CAPD and ADHD Coexist The condition we are referring to, of course, is central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), otherwise known as auditory processing disorder (APD). This condition affects between 3-5% of elementary and secondary school students, many of whom also have a true ADHD diagnosis. Misdiagnosis of ADHD often occurs, though, leading children to be prescribed unnecessary medication under the false presumption that they are dealing with a neurodevelopmental condition rather than a physical disorder. However, it’s not exactly surprising that this occurs at such a high rate. The symptoms are so strikingly similar that some experts are questioning whether you can have APD without ADHD. For students with dual diagnoses of CAPD and ADHD, it can be difficult to tell which behaviors are caused by which disorder. It can be valuable to seek out resources that help you better understand what your child is experiencing. This helps cultivate a greater sense of empathy and understanding as you transition your child to a special education school. Or, if you are not yet enrolled, consider booking a tour at Lake Michigan Academy.  Learning differences such as dyslexia and ADHD, despite being incredibly common amongst American children, can be frustrating. For a bright, motivated student who has fallen behind academically, learning guilt can cause a sharp decline in self-esteem and an increase in co-morbidities, including depression, anxiety, speech and language problems, and behavioral issues.
While dyslexic students and those with ADD symptoms benefit from a variety of academic accommodations, from individualized education plans (IEPs) to voice-to-print technology, the most important advantage that students with learning differences have is early intervention. Just as one cannot expect their primary care physician to be the expert in their child’s symptoms of dyslexia or ADHD, one cannot expect a teacher with no professional training in these specific conditions to help your child succeed. Only special education schools, such as Lake Michigan Academy, employ educators with adequate training. Alternatives are Available While IEPs serve an excellent purpose for many students in traditional schools, not every student with dyslexia and ADHD will thrive in this hectic, fast-paced environment where student-teacher ratios are increasingly high. On the other hand, alternative schools for students with learning differences are often a saving grace for students who are overwhelmed and falling behind in a traditional classroom. With smaller student-teacher ratios, creative approaches to teaching, and an emphasis on individual empowerment, dyslexic students and those with ADHD thrive in schools such as our Lake Michigan Academy. Staff Sensitivity and Greater Understanding In special education schools, staff are equipped to manage symptoms of dyslexia, ADHD, and other common co-morbidities, such as oppositional defiance and behavioral issues, that might otherwise be disruptive in a typical classroom. With patience, compassion, and understanding, educators help students stay on track and learn at a flexible pace while also keeping them fixated on the goal at the end of the road: achieving their high school diploma and attending post-secondary education, if they so desire. Lake Michigan Academy’s mission is to provide differentiated instruction for each individual student, and with small class sizes and evidence-based teaching strategies, we are proud that our small, core team of educators provide a warm and welcoming environment in which to learn. |
