I recently learned that I have a learning disability called dyscalculia. It's sort of like dyslexia, but with numbers. Only, there's a lot more to it. It causes difficulty with numbers and math, as well as trouble reading analog clocks, trouble telling left from right, trouble reading maps, and difficulty conceptualizing time. Plus, there are seemingly unrelated symptoms, like being oversensitive to sounds, lights, and odors, and having poor name/face matching ability. The symptoms list is like a description of my life!
I found it especially interesting to note that people with dyscalculia are more likely to have vivid imaginations and--get this--the disorder is more common among writers.
So, how many of you guys have been diagnosed with dyscalculia or think you may have it based on the list of symptoms? How has it interfered with your life?
I'll go first. The left/right trouble causes me problems constantly. When I'm navigating for someone who's driving, I have to say, "Turn my way," or "Turn your way," because it takes too long to figure out which way is left and which is right. I can't do math, period. It's taken me several years to memorize my own cell phone number and I still hesitate when someone asks what it is. I'd be lost without the Contacts list on my phone. Oh, and I always have trouble shopping, because even with a calculator, I can't figure out how much the stuff in my basket is going to cost. It's why I love shopping online so much. The online shopping cart gives me a total, so I can figure out whether I need to remove items or if I can afford to buy more. As for conceptualizing time, I have no concept of time. The best example I can give is that, at my wedding, I mentioned to my grandmother how my grandfather had died the year before and how sad it was he couldn't be there. She looked at me with shock, because apparently it had been more like five years. (Oops!)
I found it especially interesting to note that people with dyscalculia are more likely to have vivid imaginations and--get this--the disorder is more common among writers.
So, how many of you guys have been diagnosed with dyscalculia or think you may have it based on the list of symptoms? How has it interfered with your life?
I'll go first. The left/right trouble causes me problems constantly. When I'm navigating for someone who's driving, I have to say, "Turn my way," or "Turn your way," because it takes too long to figure out which way is left and which is right. I can't do math, period. It's taken me several years to memorize my own cell phone number and I still hesitate when someone asks what it is. I'd be lost without the Contacts list on my phone. Oh, and I always have trouble shopping, because even with a calculator, I can't figure out how much the stuff in my basket is going to cost. It's why I love shopping online so much. The online shopping cart gives me a total, so I can figure out whether I need to remove items or if I can afford to buy more. As for conceptualizing time, I have no concept of time. The best example I can give is that, at my wedding, I mentioned to my grandmother how my grandfather had died the year before and how sad it was he couldn't be there. She looked at me with shock, because apparently it had been more like five years. (Oops!)