[Cognitive disorders in children with dyscalculia]

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Context:

• Dyscalculia is a specific learning disorder affecting arithmetic skills.
• Understanding the cognitive underpinnings of dyscalculia is crucial for effective intervention.
• Comorbidities with other neurodevelopmental disorders are common but require further characterization.

Purpose:

• To investigate the cognitive features and comorbidities associated with dyscalculia in children.
• To compare cognitive functions, specifically attention and working memory, between children with and without dyscalculia.
• To identify the prevalence of other learning disorders and neuropsychiatric conditions in children diagnosed with dyscalculia.

Summary:

• This study examined 48 children (8-10 years) with dyscalculia and 30 controls. Cognitive assessments included ADHD, working memory, and attention/impulsivity tests.
• Results indicated that dyscalculia is rarely isolated, frequently co-occurring with ADHD (68.8%), dyslexia (56.3%), and dysgraphia (45.8%).
• Children with dyscalculia demonstrated significantly lower working memory capacity and increased inattention errors compared to controls, highlighting broader cognitive deficits.

Impact:

• Dyscalculia should be viewed as a complex disorder stemming from multiple cognitive dysfunctions, not solely arithmetic deficits.
• Findings underscore the importance of comprehensive cognitive assessments for children with dyscalculia to address associated conditions.
• This research informs targeted educational and therapeutic strategies for children facing challenges in mathematical learning.