Verbal and visual short-term memory in children with arithmetic disabilities

With the exception of the explication of the Nonverbal Learning Disability Syndrome, our knowledge of cognitive characteristics of children with isolated arithmetic (A) disabilities contrasted with those with comorbid arithmetic and reading (AR) disabilities is limited. Of the existing studies, most suggest that visual deficits are characteristic of Subtype A. This study examined short-term memory in 45 children who were classified into these two subtypes. Children in Subtype A displayed better verbal memory on some tasks than children in the AR subtype, but no subtype differences in visual memory were found. Counter to our hypothesis, children in Subtype A did not display relatively poorer visual memory than verbal memory. These results suggest a mixed neuropsychological profile, and the absence of visual short-term memory weaknesses as descriptive of the A subtype.