Recently someone got in touch with us through the blog about how to get a diagnosis of dyscalculia, more specifically for adults. The person who contacted us as with many others has lived their life believing that their difficulties with maths was all their fault, this is largely due to the dyscalculia only being recognised fairly recently and so a lot of people went undiagnosed. Finding out that it is a real learning difficulty is a great relief for them, its also not just a relief but a chance to find a way to challenge dyscalculia because once you know you have it you can treat it.
If you think you may have dyscalculia I would recommend going to get a full assessment with an Educational Psychologist through the British Dyslexia Association, although they are mainly focused on dyslexia they also test for many other disabilities including dyscalculia.
Unfortunately the assessments of dyscalculia and dyslexia are expensive as the NHS does not treat it as a medical issue, its normally priced around £450, you can try a quick online test before you go ahead and book it.
I hope this helped and please keep an eye on our blog; we constantly try to stay up to date so if you think we should cover something leave a comment!
Well I think it’s terrable that you have to pay I’m 48 and still go blank at basic maths and wanted to find out
Hi Nicola, It is shocking and very disappointing that many people have to pay for a diagnosis. But depending on where you live and your situation you might be able to get a free diagnosis, it’s very difficult to research but I could try looking for you?
That would be nice to get a free diagnosis I live in stoke on trent, do you know if it is free. It would be much appreciated.
Hi Nicola, I took a look into this and it looks like you have one possible route. That is to contact The Dyslexia Association of Staffordshire – Their educational psychologists should also be qualified to diagnose dyscalculia – and ask them about the possibilities of having dyscalculia assessment either subsidised or free. http://localoffer.stoke.gov.uk/kb5/stoke/directory/service.page?id=w5pENy8HIw4
I hope this helps and let me know if I can do anymore 🙂
Could you find out if I can do a dyscalculia assessment for free in Boston, Lincs?
Hello James,
Do you think that you could look into a route for me too? I am 25 and live in Brighton UK, I desperately would like a diagnosis as this has affected my confidence for so long now and to finally get an official diagnosis would honestly change my life.
I have looked into this recently but the prices are around £600!
Thank you so much in advance,
Georgia
Hi Georgia,
Of course, I can take a look 🙂 Are you a student by any chance?
Hi James.
I wonder if you can help us.
My eldest daughter was diagnosed with dyscalculia in yr8 after a long battle with her school to do a dyscalculia assessment for her.
My other daughter has exactly the same maths issues as her sister and I asked the school again to do a dyscalculia assessment. They asked her 4 questions and said that it is unlikely she has dyscalculia like her sister.
I am a single mum of 3 and on a low income.
I would like a private assessment for my daughter but this is so expensive.
Would you know if I would be entitled to get this done any cheaper? I live in Uxbridge, Middlesex.
Many thanks
Hi Sharon,
I will try my best to help! It sounds very odd to only ask 4 questions to come to a conclusion especially as – depending on your daughter’s age – she may already be masking signs of dyscalculia, as someone gets older they can hide it more and so it can get trickier to diagnose. I will have to do some research into whether your local council provides financial support for diagnosis, frustratingly this can be very different from area to area. I will get back to you as soon as I can 🙂
Hi Sharon,
Unfortunately, it’s bad news I searched high and low but I couldn’t find any reduced cost/free diagnosis in your area. The only way is to continue with the school or alternatively if dyscalculia is creating problems to do with your daughter’s wellbeing such as mental health, it may be possible to get a diagnosis on the NHS – but this can be an even more difficult process than the school. The cheapest I’ve seen recently in your area for a diagnosis is £500, I don’t know whether some places might spread the cost?
Hello, I live in Springfield, Mo. I’m taking college courses and I just cant seem to pass Math. Ive been told I have Dyscalculia but I want an official diagnosis. Is there someone in my area that can help me?
Hi Tiffany, I have taken a look in the area and there are a couple of people who can do an educational evaluation that should include dyscalculia, give them a try and let me know how it goes and if I can support you further 🙂
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/testing-and-evaluation/missouri/201315?sid=61251b1f9c645&spec=184&ref=1
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/testing-and-evaluation/missouri/443045?sid=61251b1f9c645&ref=5
I didn’t know about dyscalculia when I failed calculus 2 and physics my second year of college. I seemed to always have issues with swapping signs, reversing number orders, and having to take remedial maths to get to where my peers were math wise.
I was frustrated, and before I tried to start working towards a bachelors degree again I tried to nail down why I was struggling with math and text anxiety around tests with maths. I found dyscalculia, and it made sense. I already struggled with dyslexia (most of my family does).
I had to develop some serious coping skills to make it through my bachelors degree in Computer Engineering. I wasn’t sure you could even get an official diagnosis or I would have. Engineering as you know is very maths based, so getting through my program and earning my degree was hard but I did it!
Dyscalculia made it harder than it should have been but I’m glad I figured it out so I could at least figure out how to learn better.
What a wonderful story Seth, really congratulations on your achievements!
Hello, I’ve seen a couple of comments on the possibility of free/subsidised testing by area and wondered if you could point me in the right direction. I’m a student at university in Northampton but am originally from East London. Could there be anyone in either area who could maybe help?
Hey! As you are at university you can get a free/subsidised test through their student support services. Is it the University of Northampton you are studying at? If so you can contact student support here – https://www.northampton.ac.uk/student-life/support/student-support-and-advice-team/ – and they should guide you on your next steps. I also found this quote on their site in relation to a Dyslexia diagnosis – there should be no reason why this would not also apply to a dyscalculia diagnosis
Hope this helps and let me know If I can help you further 🙂
Hello! Yes I’m at Northampton Uni, I saw that quote but wasn’t sure if dyscalculia would be on the radar. I will email and ask to see what can be offered, thank you!
Hi, thank you for posting this. Could you possibly give me some help/advice? I’m 17 and have an initial screening test indicating that I have Dyscalculia. I am in the midst of applying to University to read Econ and I would appreciate a full Dyscalculia diagnosis as it would enable me to explain my comparatively low result in Maths (I did well in everything else) and seek the support I will need. I live in West Yorkshire, Calderdale and I go to school in Manchester. I asked the school SEN department for advice however they do not test for Dyscalculia, I did however receive a processing speed issue diagnosis. Any help appreciated! Can I get a free/subsidised test anytime soon?
Hi Louisa,
Thanks for your questions, I will try to help you the best I can 🙂
May I ask does your school have access to an educational psychologist?
Educational psychologists can diagnose dyscalculia and should be available to the majority of UK schools, if they do not have access to one then it is the role of the Education Authority (EA) in your region to carry out assessments – more information here https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/special-educational-needs-assessments
The other more stressful alternative is waiting and hoping you get the place you want at University as they all have Student Support departments that handle things like dyscalculia diagnosis and then you will get the full support you need whilst you are on the course.
Let me know if this helps and if I can assist you further! 😊
I am 35 and I definitely know I have dyscalculia. I always did so well in written subjects but my math teacher and science teachers could never understand how I did not do well in their subjects but did really well in Biology! I do work but will this be eligible to apply for PIP since getting a official diagnosis is so expensive?
Hi Rox,
You need an official diagnosis before applying for PIP and even then as far as I have read online it may be unlikely you will get PIP with only dyscalculia. Let’s look into how to get you a free/discounted diagnosis so that you can get more support – Could you let me know your local council area and if you are part of any studying or courses?
PIP is a very tricky process and you would need to show that your dyscalculia is so severe it impacts your quality of life, now we know that dyscalculia severely impacts all corners of our lives, but when it comes to PIP you need evidence of this and that can be difficult to do. But in saying this it’s really worth trying, this website has some good information and links to the government guidelines on PIP – https://dyslexiaa2z.com/learning-difficulties/dyslexia/dsa-pip/
Hope this helps 🙂
Hi, I’ve struggled with numbers and maths all my life. Recently it has really started to impact my job. My manager has asked if I can get a diagnosis so they can put things in place to support me. I live in Liverpool. Is there any advice you can give me please? Thanks
Hi Michelle,
Sorry to hear that it has started to impact your job, it’s great that your manager is open to supporting you though 🙂
I couldn’t find any specific support in your area so I can only recommend the usual route people take in the UK for a diagnosis which is to either go to the British Dyslexia Association and use their system to find a suitable educational psychologist in your area – I know it says dyslexia everywhere but mention its for dyscalculia and they will find someone for you. Or go to the British Psychological Society which has quite a comprehensive list of educational psychologists so you should be able to find someone pretty local, make sure they have current HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council) registration. – this ensures you can get the support you need.
Hope this helps 🙂
My daughter is in year 8 (13) and has recently taken an on line test for dyscalculia which confirmed our suspicions. We have shared the result with the school and they are considering her for extra time in maths exams. However there appears to be no support available for improvement to enable her to pass the GCSE. We have tried a tutor in the past and she understands the processes at the time but then forgets how to do the problem the next week. I believe this is common with dyscalculic students. Are you aware of any support available to help her get over this hurdle and prevent her life choices being limited? Apart from maths and maths related science she is doing really well at school. I know myself how difficult it is to succeed without a maths qualification and don’t want her chances to be limited
Hi Karen,
They certainly should give her extra time and also a calculator! Unfortunately, depending on where you live the local council provide different support and some areas have no support – let me know your area and I can look into what your school should be providing for your daughter. What you have described is really prevalent in those with dyscalculia – working memory is a challenge to improve with dyscalculia and it can take a long time to see an improvement. There is one program I know has scientific proof – as it is made in collaboration with neuroscientists – of improving working memory and that is Calcularis, they have a free trial too.
Hope this helps 🙂
Hi there, can you tell me if it is possible to get dyscalculia diagnosed for secondary school children in Scotland and if so how we would go about it? The school doesn’t seem to be able to do this.
Hi Victoria,
All schools in the UK should have access to an educational psychologist who can diagnose dyscalculia, if the school does not have access to one – which unfortunately is sometimes the case – they still should be able to refer you to one with the local authority. This article should be helpful – https://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/special-educational-needs/help-and-advice/educational-psychologist-assessment
If you let me know your local authority/council I can also do a bit more research to see if I can find anything for you, as sometimes teachers are so overworked this type of information slips past.
Hope this helps 🙂
Hi. I’d like to get a diagnosis too as I took the test online and it states that I’m at moderate to high risk of dyscalculia. Having an official diagnosis would definitely change my sense of confidence in the future.
Im from Boston is there any place that could do it free of charge?
Hi Ula,
I can certainly take a look for you 🙂 Can you let me know if you are studying at the moment?
Happy New Year!
James