Dyscalculia’s Math Fix: Why Parents Must Demand Early Action
Picture your child’s brain as a rickety math bridge—wobbly, slow, and begging for bolts. In a stormy Making Math Moments That Matter episode, hosts Kyle Pearce and Jon Orr chat with Dr. Sandra McCartan, Chief Academic Officer at TouchMath, who’s tackling dyscalculia—a 3-7% neuro snag that’s math’s dyslexia twin. Sandra’s own stats-class freeze (“I’m an idiot!”) sparked a crusade: screen early, intervene fast. With tools like TouchMath’s free screener, she’s busting the “math brain” myth. Parents, you’re the engineers—don’t let “bad at math” badge sink their dreams. Bolt that bridge now.
The Math Myth Bust
Sandra’s tale starts with a PhD detour—quantitative stats loomed, her confidence crashed. “No math brain,” she sighed, until research flipped it: dyscalculia’s myelin hiccups slow number sense, not smarts. “There’s no such thing,” she insists—3-7% of kids (same as dyslexia) stumble on facts, counting, reasoning, despite grit. Parents, if your child’s “I suck at math” echoes your own, it’s not fate—it’s a fixable glitch. Sandra’s proof? Neuroscience says practice rewires those pathways, fast.
Spotting the Wobble
Signs? Early and loud. Three-year-olds blank on “grab three biscuits”; older kids finger-count 2+3 or tally multiplication. “They’re slow—today they know, tomorrow they don’t,” Sandra notes, their Visual-Spatial Memory flailing at quantities or dice dots. Math anxiety locks it tighter—hours yield Cs. Parents, watch for these: endless finger math, time cluelessness, test flops despite effort. It’s not laziness—it’s dyscalculia’s shaky bridge needing planks.
Author Quote“
There’s no such thing as a math brain.
”
Bridging the Gap
Sandra’s fix? Screen at K-1, intervene pronto—TouchMath’s 10-minute screener (free at touchmath.com) flags risks, no PhD required. Then, multisensory magic: manipulatives, explicit steps, concrete-to-abstract hops. “It’s survival wiring—everyone’s born with it,” she beams—fMRIs show sped-up neurons post-practice. Parents, nudge schools for this—your child’s nurse or engineer dream hangs on it. Universal screening (like MAP) catches more, but dyscalculia demands deliberate planks: songs, tips, repetition.
Key Takeaways:
1
Common glitch: 3-7% wrestle dyscalculia—screen early.
Mindset’s Math Mess
Why the lag? “It’s both,” Sandra sighs—teachers miss it, society shrugs. “I’m bad at math” boasts outnumber “I can’t read” whimpers—it’s a badge, not a battle. Dyslexia’s 20-year lead dwarfs dyscalculia’s whisper; 30 years behind, kids languish undiagnosed. Parents, this cultural “get by” kills STEM futures—7% could soar with help. Sandra’s plea: “Math’s literacy-equal.” Shift that mindset, or your child’s bridge stays rickety.
Author Quote“
Screen early, intervene immediately—use what works.
”
Apathy Blocks
The villain? Apathy plus ignorance—schools skip screening, parents nod “my kid too.” Sandra’s rallying cry: “Screen early, intervene immediately, use what works.” TouchMath’s data proves it—multi-sensory, deliberate practice lifts all, dyscalculia or not. Parents, you’re the crew—grab that screener, push for math equity. Boost their Number Sense—because a sturdy bridge to numbers unlocks their sky-high potential.
