Developmental dyscalculia is a specific learning disability affecting the a
cquisition of arithmetic skills in an otherwise-normal child. Although poor
teaching, environmental deprivation, and low intelligence have been implic
ated in the etiology of developmental dyscalculia, current data indicate th
at this learning disability is a brain-based disorder with a familial-genet
ic predisposition. The neurologic substrate of developmental dyscalculia is
thought to involve both hemispheres, particularly the left parietotemporal
areas. Developmental dyscalculia is a common cognitive handicap; its preva
lence in the school population is about 5-6%, a frequency similar to those
of developmental dyslexia and attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder. Unl
ike these, however, it is as common in females as in males. Developmental d
yscalculia frequently is encountered in neurologic disorders, examples of w
hich include attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder, developmental langua
ge disorder, epilepsy, and fragile X syndrome. The long-term prognosis of d
evelopmental dyscalculia is unknown; it appears, however, to persist, at le
ast for the short-term, in about half of affected preteen children. The con
sequences of developmental dyscalculia and its impact on education, employm
ent, and psychologic well-being of affected individuals are unknown. (C) 20
01 by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.