Hello Sue,
My daughter is nine and still cannot remember basic multiplication facts. She counts on her fingers for almost everything, and homework takes hours. Could this be dyscalculia, or is she just behind in math?
Michael
Hello Michael
Thank you for your question. It’s one I hear often from parents, because math struggles can be confusing to sort out.
Indeed, some children take longer to master math facts. However, by age nine, most students have been exposed to multiplication for a couple of years. If your daughter is still relying heavily on her fingers and homework consistently turns into a long ordeal, this goes beyond being “a little behind.”
The term dyscalculia is used to describe a specific learning difficulty in math. While it’s not as well-known as dyslexia, research suggests it affects about 5–7% of children. Here are a few signs that indicate a more profound difficulty like dyscalculia, rather than a simple delay:
- Persistent problems with number sense: Difficulty grasping the meaning of quantities or comparing which number is larger or smaller.
- Trouble with basic math facts: Even after much practice, facts like 3×4 or 6+7 don’t “stick.”
- Reliance on immature strategies: Using fingers well beyond the early grades.
- Difficulty with sequences: Trouble reciting numbers backwards, counting in steps (like 2, 4, 6, 8), or understanding place value.
- Math anxiety: Dread, tears, or avoidance whenever math comes up.
Of course, not every child who struggles with multiplication has dyscalculia. Gaps in teaching, limited practice, or even anxiety alone can slow progress. But when difficulties are persistent and widespread across different areas of math, that’s when we suspect an underlying learning problem.
The encouraging news is that math difficulties are not fixed traits. With targeted intervention that strengthens underlying cognitive skills, such as working memory, sequencing, and spatial reasoning, together with structured math practice, children can make remarkable progress.
So don’t wait and hope she’ll “catch up.” If dyscalculia or a related issue is present, time alone won’t fix it. Early support makes all the difference.
Regards,
Sue
More about Sue
Sue is an educational specialist in learning difficulties with a B.A. Honors in Psychology and a B.D. degree. Early in her career, Sue was instrumental in training over 3,000 teachers and tutors, providing them with the foundational and practical understanding to facilitate cognitive development among children who struggle to read and write. With over 30 years of research to her name, she conceptualized the Edublox teaching and learning methods that have helped thousands of children worldwide. In 2007, she opened the first Edublox reading and learning clinic; today, there are 30 clinics internationally. Sue treasures the “hero” stories of students whose self-esteem soars as their marks improve.