Dyslexia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia
This edition of Disability Support Guide will cover dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and touch on dysgraphia, along with discussing possible forms of support and the role that learning disorders play in National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding.
Key points
- Dyslexia is a disability which impacts how language processing takes place in the brain, making it difficult to read and interpret words as intended
- Dyscalculia is a disability which impacts the learning and processing of numbers, as opposed to words — adding, subtracting, dividing and multiplying don’t compute
- Dyspraxia impacts how the brain understands and coordinates movement, making sports, gymnastics and reflexive responses difficult
Each section will break down the respective disorder and highlight how to seek help for yourself or a loved one with a learning disorder to achieve their goals in education, training, work and life.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is distinct from dysgraphia, as people with dyslexia are often more than capable of expressing their thoughts and may have little to no difficulty writing down what’s on their mind. However, reading or interpreting big blocks of text can be a hurdle for some with dyslexia and spelling — particularly with phonetic words — can be a significant challenge.
According to the Australian Dyslexic Association, roughly 10 percent of the population is affected by dyslexia to some degree, although the condition ranges in severity and the estimate is likely conservative when compared to other countries, such as Canada, which has a one-in-five rate of dyslexia prevalence.
The condition is characterised as a consistent pattern of difficulty with language processing, as opposed to a lack of development or education in the field. Dyslexia is recognised in Australian law under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and under the Human Rights Commission, however, NDIS funding is not available for those with just dyslexia. If dyslexia is comorbid with other significant impairments (ie. autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Down syndrome or psychosocial disability), the dyslexic person may be eligible for funding. New South Wales is the only state or territory where it is legally recognised as a learning disability.
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is estimated to affect between six to seven percent of the population and is diagnosed based on a person’s persistent difficulties to understand mathematical concepts, make sense of numbers or determining things based on general numerical practices (ie. height, weight, distance or money).
‘Number sense’ or the ability to translate words to numbers (ie. five to 5) or recall information based on numbers, such as how many times they’ve performed something in a given week, may also be impacted. Much like dyslexia, people with dyscalculia have difficulties throughout life, rather than through an inability or unwillingness to learn.
Assistive technology, such as calculators, online tutoring or additional time to complete tasks independently may help someone with dyscalculia to catch up with their peers during numerical tasks. The NDIS will not provide funding for someone based on dyscalculia alone, much like dyslexia, as it is not considered a life-changing impairment for day-to-day tasks.
Dyspraxia
Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) or dyspraxia affects how someone processes movement from thought to action. People with dyspraxia are thought to be clumsy, ill-prepared for complex or strenuous tasks or incapable of fast and slight movements without incident. NDIS funding covers children with DCD up until age seven, with parents often paying out-of-pocket expenses for therapies or services. The lifelong condition affects approximately one in 20 kids and can impact someone’s ability to dress, eat, write and play.
Dysgraphia
Whereas dyslexia impacts how a person processes written information by others, dysgraphia affects a person’s ability to express themselves through writing and getting their thoughts out. Dysgraphia impacts writing, potentially mathematics and although NDIS funding is not available unless comorbid conditions are present, Neurosensory may be able to assist some people with dysgraphia through multisensory treatment and help with NDIS applications.
Summary
Although recognised as learning difficulties, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and dysgraphia are rarely recognised as disabilities, despite leading many to struggle with employment, education and general quality of life. However, there has been an increase in awareness about these conditions and advocacy on behalf of others with less recognisable learning difficulties/disabilities is on the rise. To learn more information surrounding NDIS support for yourself or a loved one, please review the related content.
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