Dyscalculia is a condition that affects the ability to acquire mathematical skills. Dyscalculic learners may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, lack an intuitive grasp of numbers and have problems learning number facts and procedures. Even if they produce a correct answer, or use a correct method, they may do so mechanically and without confidence. We need to remember that there is often a big difference between what children can repeat or chant and what they understand and thus be very wary of an over-dependence on rote learning. The skill of estimation is not a natural one for many learners.The answer to my question, 'At what age are enough children giving up on maths in class for it to be noticeable?' varies, of course, but the most frequent answer I get is 'seven years old.' Some of the factors blocking learning include: having to do maths calculations quickly; (rote) learning facts and procedures (without understanding them); the extremely judgemental nature of maths — an answer is right, or it is wrong; the inconsistencies in early arithmetic confuse children, making bigger challenges on memory and blurring concepts; being asked to do tasks that are beyond the capacity of the child's working and short-term memories; the vocabulary and language of early maths is often everyday vocabulary and language, but then it is used in a maths setting (for example, 'take away' means 'subtraction').If the number of steps they use or plan to use exceed their working memory capacity, then they will fail at the task. If that makes them anxious then the problem gets worse, because anxiety can depress the capacity of working memory even further. 

Beyond any other school subject, maths anxiety is a big problem. It's not just when doing maths, it's often the anticipation of doing maths. Recent neurological research has shown that the area of the brain that is activated when maths anxious children are anticipating doing maths is the same bit that is activated when anticipating physical harm. Some other factors contributing to maths anxiety are: a poor understanding of maths, often resulting in helplessness; a poor long-term memory for maths facts and procedures (and no effective way to compensate); constant experience of underachievement or failure (the student becomes 'helpless', thinking, 'I'm no good at this, never will be and you can't help me'). 

"One way of supporting the development of self-esteem and helping to minimise anxiety is to focus on strengths. We are all good at something. Sadly, the dyslexic child often gets to believe that there is nothing they can get right. Children will always do well if they can. They do poorly when life demands skills that they are lacking. That is the fault of the way they are being taught, not a deficit in the child.Help your child to talk about their problems and feelings. This helps them to start being familiar with how they react in given situations and what the options might be. Next, we need to help them build some coping skills. Work with your child to learn skills to problem solve. Challenge any negative thinking with an enquiry. Nothing is more fearful than feeling powerless and in this way we help our children to realise their strengths, even if they are not the ones that get perfect grades in tests.Build on the individual's strengths and interests. It can help shore up their self-esteem and resilience when they are finding other stuff difficult. It can help turn, 'I'm stupid and worthless' into, 'This thing is difficult right now.'If your child finds it hard to think of personal strengths, here is a list that may prompt them to think differently:

• innovative and imaginative thinker
• good visualisation and spatial skills
• often creative – good sense of colour and texture, may excel at art, design and photography
• thinks in pictures, which is quicker and more multi-directional than thinking in words
• good verbally
• can be very humorous
• holistic – sees the whole picture
• intuitive problem solver
• often hard working and tenacious
• high emotional intelligence, empathetic
• entrepreneurial
• doggedly determined.

Role models can help raise young people's aspirations and show that dyslexia is not going to be the thing that stops them succeeding. There are hundreds of famous examples, but a role model could just as easily be a teacher or family member. The benefit of seeing that 'someone who is like me' has been successful cannot be underestimated.Involve yourself in their hobbies. Do the activity with them. Be the bystander rooting for them. This helps your child to develop autonomy. Allow them to make their own decisions. This, in turn, helps them to build resilience so they are able to bounce back when the world knocks them down, knowing they will survive and thrive and be back to fight another day.Remember that praise is what dyslexic children thrive on."

Extract from Parenting a Dyslexic Child, edited by Gillian Ashley.