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*Parent/carer workshops for support
*Pre, during and post diagnosis support
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Telephone: 01489 880881
Self-referral at:
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Please give today and help Autism Hampshire to be there for people on the autism spectrum, and their loved ones, when they most need us Working for Autism Hampshire can be both rewarding and challenging. Do you have what it takes?

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Hampshire Specialist Parenting Support Service
Parenting Programmes for parents and carers for children aged 5-17 with a diagnosis of autism or an assessment process

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Believe in children | Children’s charity

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Barnardo’s is a children’s charity that protects and supports children and young people in the UK who need us. We help bring out the best in them.

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Free resources, services and support for children who are having difficulties with talking and understanding words.

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Speech and Language UK: Changing young lives

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Resources to support young people with ADHD

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Resources to support young people with ADHD

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The ADHD Foundation Neurodiversity Charity - an integrated health and education service.

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Young minds advice for supporting a child with ADHD

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Young minds advice for supporting a child with ADHD

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What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects behaviour and concentration.

Children and young people with ADHD often seem unusually restless, impulsive or distracted. They may speak or act without thinking, struggle with organisation, find it hard to focus or appear to be always on the go. Some people with ADHD do not experience hyperactivity though, and this is sometimes called attention deficit disorder (ADD).

ADHD is not a mental illness or a learning disability, though children and young people with ADHD may also have other conditions or experience mental health problems.

Living with ADHD can be very challenging, for children and young people as well as for their parents and carers. But the right diagnosis, treatment and support can make a big difference to a child's learning, life skills and relationships, as well as making family life easier. There is also lots you can do as a parent/carer to help your child manage the things they find difficult.

What are the most common symptoms of ADHD?

A child with ADHD may be:

easily distracted, finding it difficult to start or finish tasks

often unable to concentrate

often restless or fidgety

very talkative, often interrupting or blurting things out

impulsive, acting before considering consequences, prone to taking risks

easily angry or frustrated, struggling to deal with emotions

finding making or maintaining friendships difficult

disorganised, for instance often losing things or being late

lacking awareness of time

Every child or young person with ADHD is individual and they may not display all of these behaviours. And many of these traits and behaviours are typical in younger children, or can follow a traumatic experience - they don't necessarily mean your child has ADHD.

Age and gender can also affect how someone with ADHD behaves. This can make it harder to spot signs of ADHD, particularly in girls, who are more likely to be undiagnosed or wrongly diagnosed with other conditions(i).

Typically the symptoms of ADHD develop in early childhood and they may become particularly noticeable at times of significant change, such as starting or changing school.

What to do if you think your child might have ADHD

If your child frequently experiences some of these symptoms; this is affecting their day- to- day life; and it's happening in more than one setting (for instance at home and school), discuss your concerns with your child's GP. Before doing this, talk to your child's teacher and the school special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) about what they have noticed.

The GP may want to refer your child for assessment, as ADHD can only be diagnosed by a specialist such as a child and adolescent psychiatrist or paediatrician.

Sometimes parents are reluctant to pursue assessment. They may be worried about 'labelling' their child or about stigma, or they may prefer to watch and wait. These feelings are normal. But parents and young people who do seek diagnosis can find it helps them access the right support; understand and manage challenges; and identify individual strengths.

We have more information about getting support from the GP, CAMHS or school in our guide.

ADHD diagnosis, support and treatment

ADHD assessment is usually done through the specialist Children and Young People's Mental Health Services, commonly referred to as CAMHS.

Diagnosis is most commonly made in childhood, and in the majority of cases, symptoms affecting daily life continue into adulthood(ii).

There is no single, definitive test for ADHD. Specialists will base clinical diagnosis on a combination of observations of your child; discussions and questionnaires (with you and your child); and information from your child's school.

They will consider how long the symptoms have been present; their impact on your child's daily life; and whether they might be due to another condition. Approximately 60-80% of children with ADHD have at least one other condition,(iii) (such as autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, anxiety or behaviour problems) and your child may be given more than one diagnosis.

Support and treatment options

You and your child should be offered support and advice to help manage ADHD in their day-to-day life.

ADHD can also be treated with medication and/or therapies. These should be discussed with you when your child is diagnosed, and are set out in the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on ADHD.

ADHD can be treated with therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). For more information about therapy, see our parent guide to counselling and therapy.

There are a number of types of medication. These are not a cure for ADHD, and many children do not take them, but they can help manage some of the symptoms. Medication must be prescribed and overseen by a specialist.

You may also be offered ADHD -focussed parent training. This does not mean your parenting is somehow wrong. It is designed to provide support and specific strategies and skills to help you and your child thrive.

Jack is still perennially late, disorganised and impulsive; but he's also energetic, original and creative. The medication is helping him make the most of all of that.

How can I help my child with ADHD?

Be explicit and consistent about unacceptable behaviour, such as violence. Set appropriate consequences and follow them through, but try to stay calm in the moment to avoid escalation. Dealing with challenging behaviour can be very hard, and our parent guide has helpful advice.

Plan the day so your child knows what to expect. Maintaining regular sleep patterns, physical activity and mealtimes can help your child. Some people find dietary change and/or certain supplements helpful, but there is no clinical evidence for this and medical advice should be sought first(iv). Our young person's guide has helpful advice on sleep problems.

ADHD and your child's mental health

Any child or young person can struggle with their mental health and wellbeing, whether or not they have ADHD. This might be caused by things like family change, bullying, exam stress or a traumatic event.

But having ADHD may also mean your child has extra challenges - such as social difficulties, struggling to manage their emotions or getting into trouble at school - that leave them more vulnerable to low self-esteem, anxiety or depression.

Children and young people with ADHD frequently have other developmental or mental health conditions and it is important to ensure they have the appropriate support for these.

As a parent there is a lot you can do to support your child with their wellbeing and mental health:

encourage your child to talk about how they are feeling with you. Our starting a conversation guide has ideas for keeping communication open

if you feel your child may have a mental health problem or another condition alongside ADHD, discuss your concerns with their GP or ADHD specialist.

Working with school if your child has ADHD

ADHD is a special education need (SEN), and it may be referred to as a specific learning difference (SpLD). Your child is entitled to appropriate support to help them thrive socially and educationally. This could include potential adjustments in certain situations, such as extra time or rest breaks for exams, movement breaks in lessons, written instructions for tasks and a seating plan that minimises distractions.

Discuss the diagnosis and needs with the school's SENCO, taking a list of your concerns and background information to the meeting.

Your child may be entitled to an education, health and care plan (EHC plan) which details the support they need and how it will be provided. (The National Autistic Society has helpful information about EHC plans.)

Good communication between you and school can be really helpful in ensuring your child thrives in education and meets their potential. Our parent guide to support has more advice on talking to school or college.

ADHD in teenagers and beyond

If your child is a teenager or young person, their needs and the support you give may well be different from when they were younger. They may like to read our young person's guide to ADHD and mental health. But there are still many ways you can help.

Looking after your own wellbeing

Parenting a child with ADHD can sometimes be isolating, upsetting or exhausting. Sometimes parents feel judged or blamed by others (unjustifiably as parenting does not cause ADHD). It is entirely understandable if you are finding things difficult.

It's important to recognise the impact the situation is having on you, and think about ways you can take care of yourself - including getting support from other people so that you can take some time off. It's okay to ask for help when you need it, and to share your worries with someone you trust. We have advice on looking after yourself as well as your child.

Our son's challenging behaviour with ADHD had an enormous impact on the whole family, as we and his brothers bore the brunt of his anger.

Where to get further support

If you would to speak to a professional adviser or find out more about how you can support your child, these organisations can help.

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Help Your Child With ADHD | Parents Guide to Support

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What is ADHD? Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects behaviour and concentration. Children and young people with ADHD often seem unusually restless, impulsive or distracted. They may speak or act without thinking, struggle with organisation, find it hard to focus or appear to be always on the go.

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12 Amazing Superpowers of students with ADHD

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12 Amazing Superpowers of students with ADHD

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The positives of ADHD are numerous and mighty - creativity, empathy, and tenacity, just to name a few. Here, readers share their amazing superpowers.

Thinking positive to find the plus sides of adhd.

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Problem solving skills are a positive about ADHD.

2 of 13

Children use their creativity to build a fort.

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A teenager consoles a friend, using her gift of compassion.

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Girl with snorkel by family unpacking van shows her sense of humor.

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The word impossible is written on a chalkboard, with the "im" crossed out, because those with ADHD have perseverance.

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A woman is very observant and employs her keen sense of observation.

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A mom holds her child while also ironing - multitasking is a strength for those with ADHD.

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A man is very focused on writing in his notebook. Hyperfocus is a positive trait of ADHD.

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A group of young children are running with endless energy, another positive trait of ADHD.

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A father and son play airplane together. Their seal for life is an ADHD superpower.

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A green apple in a group of oranges illustrates differences. Kids and adults with ADHD are very accepting.

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A road sign has an arrow pointing to Right and another toward wrong. Those with ADHD have a strong moral compass.

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Inside: Kid-friendly coping skills used to help manage anger, including safe ways to express anger, books to read and videos that can help. This post contains affiliate links. Learn more.
It's starting again, as usual, right after your son gets off the school bus. He is frustrated from things that happened during the day, and now he's yelling and stomping around the house. You're feeling overwhelmed and don't know what to do next.
How do you help an angry child?
Here's a collection of the best tools and tips to teach children how to manage their anger in safe and healthy ways. Let's start with some quick, safe ways to help kids express those feelings.

Looking for more quick ideas to help kids express their anger?
Stop sensory meltdowns by hanging upside down 5 simple ways to help children calm angry feelings 10 more ways to help kids manage anger A Different Way to Respond When Your Child is Aggressive
We need to help our kids understand and expect that they will experience a variety of feelings as they go through life, including anger. It's normal to feel angry at times. It's what you do with those feelings that matter.

Here's a great reminder from Imperfect Families that anger is a feeling too.

When a child is in fight, flight or freeze mode, they can't process information as well as when their body is in rest and digest mode. This is not a teachable moment, and they can't take in a lecture at this point. Your goal is to get them through this rough moment. It's best to keep talking to a minimum. When you do speak, make sure you use a neutral, calm, and quiet tone. Keep it short and repeat the same phrase. Repeating it is helpful because they aren't processing information and words as they usually would. Repetition makes it more likely that they'll hear what you are saying.

Phrases that you can say at that moment:

"I'm here for you."

"I love you."

"I want to help you."

"Let me know when you're ready."

"You are mad; I get it."

"I understand."

Looking for some more inspiration for phrases to say? Check this out:
26 Phrases to Calm and Angry Child
When some kids get big feelings, they destroy items around them - rip books, throw toys, etc. If that's the case for your child, it may be helpful for you to set up a safe spot where kids can go when they are angry. In that space, take everything out that can be destroyed or thrown that might injure someone or damage property. If you have more than one floor, set up a safe spot on each level of your home.

If you aren't in the safe spot when your child is dealing with big feelings, move harmful objects out of the way and try to get them to that safe place.

It may make sense to set up their room as a safe place too. We found this helpful when our son was dealing with a lot of angry feelings. We moved his toys and his bookshelf to a different room in the house so he could still play with them. The items that stayed in his room were those things that wouldn't hurt him or us. We did this to keep everyone, including him, safe. And as time went on, and he had better control of his emotions, we were able to add things back to his room.

How to Make a Calm Down Spot at home
Calm Space in Schools
One of the best things you can do is work on teaching coping skills kids can use before things escalate to epic proportions. The trick is practicing when they are in a calm and relaxed mood, not in the moment when they are angry.

Identify Triggers

Start by talking about what's making them angry. Help them identify those triggers, so you both know for the next time. Is it a particular school subject that makes them frustrated? Perhaps being hungry or thirsty? Are their specific noises or locations that are frustrating?

help kids identify where they feel angry in their body

Sometimes, kids don't know they're angry until after the explosion has happened. Help them identify the signs their body gives them that they are feeling angry. Over time, they'll start to recognize that feeling and ideally use a coping skill before things get too overwhelming.

Explore what other emotions they may be feeling

When kids are angry, there are usually other feelings that they are experiencing too. But anger is easy to see and often hides different feelings that lie below the surface. It's sometimes referred to as the "Anger Iceberg." It takes a bit of time to figure it out, but when your child is in a calm place, talk about what other feelings may be hiding underneath their anger.

Read more about the anger iceberg here.

Identify and practice coping skills

Now that they know what causes those big feelings and how to identify them, help them figure out ways to deal with those feelings in safe and healthy ways. Go through the coping skills checklist and have kids check off the skills that work for them, cross off the ones that don't and circle the ones they want to try.

Identify one coping skill your child would like to try. Take a few minutes during the week and have them practice a coping skill they may be able to use next time. For example, if they are going to try using shapes for deep breathing, have them practice before, so they know how it feels. The idea is to have them practice, so they know what it feels like to do it when they are calm.

Using coping skills to deal with big feelings will not go perfectly every time. Learning to manage anger is a work in progress. Little by little, with practice and time, kids will get better at it. Encourage them when they make safe and healthy choices. When they don't, continue to work with them to figure out better steps they can take the next time.

Use a Feelings Thermometer

Using a feelings thermometer can help kids make the connection between their feelings and their coping skills. Here's how you can make an anger thermometer.

How to Make an Anger Thermometer:

Have the child pick out three colors, one for each section of the thermometer and color it in. Then talk about each section.

Ask what it looks like when they are just a little angry, at the bottom of the thermometer. Do they sigh loudly, growl, etc.?

Then move on to the middle section of the thermometer. If they are medium-sized angry, what does that look like? Does their voice get louder? Do they stomp their feet, etc.?

Finally, talk about what it looks like when they are experiencing big anger at the top of the thermometer. What does that look like? Is it yelling, throwing things, etc.?

It isn't always easy for kids to do this. If they are having a hard time identifying what the behaviors were, I tell them what I noticed the last time I saw them get angry. Or, if I haven't seen them angry, I'll give them a prompt to help them, like "When some kids get angry, they yell, is that something you do?"

Once we go through and identify behaviors on the thermometer, then we work on identifying coping skills they can use to calm down. Some examples include getting a drink of water, taking deep breaths, shredding paper, or taking a break.

Make sure they have coping skills that will help them at each level of anger. It's essential to have a variety of coping skills for each level because not all coping skills will work all the time. For some kids, taking a drink of water can help calm them down when they are just slightly angry. However, when they are furious, getting a drink of water won't help. They need to do something different at that point, like take a break.

When Sophie Gets Angry, Really, Really Angry by Molly Bang Poor Sophie has a hard time managing her anger when she has to share gorilla with her sister. It's a visually appealing book to show how big her feelings get and how it looks when she calms down again.

When I Feel Angry by Cornelia Maude Spelman This is part of "The Way I Feel" series. It explains how different things can make you angry, and that feeling angry is an expected part of life, but it's what you do when you're feeling that way that matters.

Cool Down and Work Through Anger by Cheri J. Meiners M.Ed. Another great book that talks about how anger affects your body and suggesting safe ways to express yourself.

Angry Octopus by Lori Lite and Max Stasuyk A great book that actually is a progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing script for kids. It's wonderful!

Don't Rant and Rave on Wednesdays by Adolph Moser It mentions the consequences of having unchecked anger, and acknowledges that adults struggle with this too. A large part of the book explains different strategies kids can use to express anger in a safe way, which I think is fantastic.

How to Take The Grrrr Out of Anger by Elizabeth Verdick and Marjorie Lisovskis I love using this book for kids who are having a hard time managing being angry. I typically read one chapter at a time with the kids and work on some of the strategies listed in the book.

What to Do When Your Temper Flares by Dawn Huebner This book has lovely illustrations and goes through "anger dousing" methods.

Happiness Doesn't Come from Headstands by Tamara Levitt. This is a beautifully illustrated book all about growth mindset and resilience. Leela wants to do headstands and is getting frustrated, and believes the only way she can be happy is if she does headstands. With the help of a friend, she shifts her focus from what she can't do to what she can and focuses on the journey, not the singular goal is doing a headstand.

The Secret to Clara's Calm by Tamara Levitt. This is another beautifully illustrated book that demonstrates the power of mindfulness in managing big feelings. Clara has a bad temper and has big reactions to small problems, but then that leads to kids not wanting to be around her anymore. She works on learning how to be mindful and manage her big feelings with the help of a bird named Brodhi.

Chillax!: How Ernie Learns to Chill Out, Relax and Take Charge of His Anger by Marcella Marino Craver This is a graphic novel, perfect for the tween set.

It's common for parents to struggle with staying calm when their child is angry. As a mom, I know that's tough, especially when your child is having a difficult time. But it's important to learn to do it. You have to get yourself calm before you can help your child. One of the best ways to help your child is to make sure you stay calm yourself.

Use Self-Talk

Here are some phrases that may help you as you are working with your angry kid:

They're having a hard time, not giving me a hard time.

Share my calm, don't join their chaos.

I am in charge of staying calm, no matter how my child is acting and behaving.

All feelings are OK. My job is to help my kid manage them.

I can remain calm, and be a good example for my child.

Be the thermostat, not the thermometer.

TAKE Deep Breaths

If you're getting upset and about to blow up, try deep breathing. I know, it sounds hokey, but it makes a difference. When you are feeling overwhelmed, your body can go into fight, flight, or freeze mode, but in situations like these, you want to stay in rest and digest mode. By taking deep breaths, you're signaling your body to go back to rest and digest mode. Expand your belly as you inhale, and contract your belly as you exhale. Try taking several deep breaths before you take steps to intervene.

Use a grounding technique

If you're overwhelmed, sometimes it helps to do a grounding exercise to calm yourself down.

FIND your support system

Know that you are not alone. Read what this mom has to say about parenting an angry child. If you don't have a support system, then it's time to find one. Here are some ideas for both in person and online support groups to help you.
In Person Support:
There are lots of places you can get support in person. One resource I love is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They offer Family Support Groups, which meet regularly. They also offer a 12 week class for parents by parents, called Family to Family Support. Search for your local NAMI chapter here.

Having support for your child outside of your family can be a lifesaver. Talk to the school, teachers and coaches to help support your child during a difficult time. Sharing knowledge about what strategies work, and how you child responds in different environments is invaluable information.

You can also seek help from a licensed therapist to help support you. It's great to have someone to talk through the tough situations you are experiencing. If scheduling an in-person meeting is tough, you can see therapists online at sites like betterhelp.com. Some kids also benefit from seeing their own therapist. Read this to get a little more information about when you should seek outside help for your child.
Facebook Groups:
Did you know you can search for groups on Facebook to find others who are struggling with similar issues to yours? Here are some active Facebook Groups that have been helpful for families.
Note: You may need to apply to some of these groups in order to be added.
Support for Sensory Needs

Raising Poppies

Happy Sensitive Kids Community

Modern Parenting

The Neighborhood, Imperfect Families

The World's Okayest Parents
Coping Skills for Kids Group
As your son continues to stomp and growl, you take a few deep breaths and say to yourself "Be the thermostat, not the thermometer." Then, in a calm voice, you say to your son "I'm here to help. I love you."

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Inside: Kid-friendly coping skills used to help manage anger, including safe ways to express anger, books to read and videos that can help. This post contains affiliate links. Learn more. It's starting again, as usual, right after your son gets off the school bus.

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Sarah Alleyn (The Blurt Foundation)

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Parents: Supporting Young People Online (Leaflets) | Childnet

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Information and advice for parents and carers in supporting young people online.

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Help your child to plan their task so that they can complete it independently.

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What is dyslexia?

Dyslexic brains process information differently. This results in a pattern of strengths, like problem solving, creative thinking and seeing the big picture. Plus, challenges like spelling, reading, writing and rote learning.

Knowing how to spot, support and empower dyslexic thinking can transform the life of any dyslexic child.

How to spot it

How to support it

How to empower it

Get the facts
Download our simple factsheets.

Watch

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Email

Email your school, education authority, or politician to ask for all teachers to be trained.

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Explain dyslexia to your child

Being dyslexic is a brilliant thing. After all, the inventor of the aeroplane was dyslexic. And the lightbulb! So are many xtraordinary writers, like Roald Dahl and Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants. It's important to know that you're dyslexic - it helps you to understand why some things come naturally and others are much harder.

5 FACTS TO EXPLAIN:
Visit our kids page to find out more!

Grab a copy of 'Xtraordinary People' to read together!

This brilliant book will help you understand the 7 'Xtraordinary' strengths that come with dyslexia. It's a brilliant way to explain dyslexia to all kids.

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What is dyslexia? Dyslexic brains process information differently. This results in a pattern of strengths, like problem solving, creative thinking and seeing the big picture. Plus, challenges like spelling, reading, writing and rote learning. Knowing how to spot, support and empower dyslexic thinking can transform the life of any dyslexic child.

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Support and courses for parents/carers of children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and Speech, Language and Communication Needs

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SLCN & DLD SLCN Speech, Language and Communication Needs Events There are many ways that you can help to raise funds Afasic Helpline

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Support for parents/carers and children with Dyslexia or Dyslexic tendencies

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The British Dyslexia Association is the voice for the 10% of the population that are dyslexic

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Support for families of children with Dyspraxia / Developmental Co-ordination Disorder
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National Numeracy - Getting on with Numbers

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National Numeracy - Getting on with Numbers

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Recognising and supporting Dyscalculia in children

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Until recently, dyscalculia was thought of as being an umbrella term for all maths learning difficulties but since 2019 that is no longer true as we now have a definition of dyscalculia which was developed by the British Dyslexia Association dyscalculia committee and was accepted by SASC (SpLD Assessment Standards Committee) who regulated assessment in 2019.
Find out more about dyscalculia
A full definition of dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics. It will be unexpected in relation to age, level of education and experience and occurs across all ages and abilities.

Mathematics difficulties are best thought of as a continuum, not a distinct category, and they have many causal factors. Dyscalculia falls at one end of the spectrum and will be distinguishable from other maths issues due to the severity of difficulties with number sense, including subitising, symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude comparison, and ordering. It can occur singly but often co-occurs with other specific learning difficulties, mathematics anxiety and medical conditions.

What is significant about this definition is that it suggests that maths learning difficulties are a continuum with dyscalculia at the extreme end. In other words, lots of people may have maths learning difficulties which arise from other conditions such as dyslexia where key issues associated with dyslexia, like working memory, difficulties with information retrieval, processing speed, sequencing, will impact on maths learning. Likewise, difficulties with spatial awareness, lateral thinking, and visual perception, which are associated with dyspraxia, will also affect maths learning. And other important issues like maths anxiety, which is a very real condition and causes the brain to freeze, as well as environment and social issues such as school absence, stereotyping, culture, maths curriculum, and methodology of teaching can all impact.

People with dyscalculia may share all the above difficulties, but what makes them distinct is their lack of number sense which is a cognitive function associated with the left parietal sulcus and the frontal lobe. Humans and animals are born with a built-in sense of number for survival purposes.

The issue with the dyscalculia is being able to relate the digits in our numerical system with the magnitude or value of a number - so they have no meaning. In the same way that dyslexics have difficulties with matching sounds with graphemes or letters that directly impact on the development of reading and spelling, people with dyscalculia don't have a sense of number and its relationship with magnitude. They could not automatically answer the question, "Would it be sensible to pay £4000 on a pair of shoes or £48 on a small slice of Tesco cheddar?" The relationship or mapping of that number to its value does not develop naturally. It can of course be learned to some degree with much instruction.

In normal development, a sense of number will evolve so a small child may not know how much a pair of shoes should cost at age 4 but by the time they are 10 they might. Everyone is different of course and issues may be mild or severe. But because it has an aetiology, it can be inherited and run in families.

How can it be informally identified?

All young children start by counting in ones but then they learn to become more efficient and can count on from a given number and step count. They start to know if their answers are way off the mark, they develop a sensible sense of numbers and magnitude.

Children with dyscalculia hang on to immature counting systems - usually in ones - they cannot generalise, i.e. use mathematical information in another context, and basically do not have a sensible sense of what numbers are. They tend to learn by rote and procedure and some even go onto to achieve a GCSE so they can often do a calculation but cannot explain what they are doing. They are often better at algebra and geometry. Their difficulties are exclusive to maths and no other subjects.

Adults with dyscalculia tend to have difficulties with time and money, being able to plan their day with regard to travel times or how long a task should take. They may also struggle with budgets and costs.

How can it be diagnosed?

Guidelines for assessors are clearly outlined by SASC but unfortunately not everyone follows them. A good diagnosis of dyscalculia would include general ability assessment, domain general cognitive assessment such as working memory, processing speed and phonological processing, and domain-specific assessment for dyscalculia i.e. specific tests for number sense, symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude comparisons and fluency. It would also include attainment in numeracy with an error analysis as well as attainment in literacy.

Sometimes only attainment in numeracy without domain specific testing is assessed and this will not give an accurate diagnosis as some people score poorly on maths tests for other reasons and are misdiagnosed as dyscalculic, and sometimes people with dyscalculia score OK on maths tests because they have memorised procedures and are not diagnosed as dyscalculic. All assessors should have an APC (Assessment Practising Certificate). BDA, SASC and Patoss have lists of approved and registered assessors.

How can it be supported in children?

There are very specific ways of establishing a sense of number that include the use of concrete manipulatives such as Cuisenaire Rods, Diene's apparatus, dot patterns, Numicon. The child is taught to visually internalise what a number (rather than a digit) looks and feels like. The child learns to match digits or numerals with visual quantities and learns how numbers can be deconstructed to make other numbers or quantities and reconstructed; in much the same way the children with dyslexia are specifically taught to match letters to sounds and how to deconstruct and reconstruct words from letters and sounds. This takes away the fear of numbers and establishes a sense of what numbers mean. With these basic tools they will never become Einstein in maths, but they will know if they are being over charged and learn to cope in a world of numbers and money.

How can it be supported in adults?

Adults need to develop their own reference points. At a very basic level: a can of coke should not cost more than £1.50 [at the time of writing] right through to interest rates, salaries, pensions etc. They will probably need someone to help them establish these references and they may need to write them down. The main areas of difficulty are estimating traveling times and distances, household budgets, changing recipes, accounts, discounts (percentages), money and what is good value, measurements and using different types of measure, currency and conversions, ordering. The list is almost endless; we use maths every day.

What percentage of the population are dyscalculic?

As the definition is very new, the figures of people who have been properly assessed and diagnosed need to be collated. But it is estimated that about 3% of the population have dyscalculia. However, a great many more have maths learning difficulties. 60% of people with dyslexia for example will have maths learning difficulties. If 10% of the population have dyslexia that is about 5 million people and therefore 3 million have maths learning difficulties from dyslexia alone. A few of those may also have dyscalculia.

Maths anxiety is being increasingly recognised. Many people with dyscalculia have maths anxiety. This is not dissimilar to PTSD where a learned bad memory will trigger a subconscious reaction that closes down the higher thinking brain. Children as young as 6 are now being diagnosed with maths anxiety. We need to look carefully at how we teach maths in schools as apart from children with dyscalculia, all children are born as good mathematicians with a good sense of number.

Find out more about dyscalculia
Check your own numeracy level

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What is dyscalculia and how can it be spotted and supported in children and adults?

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Until recently, dyscalculia was thought of as being an umbrella term for all maths learning difficulties but since 2019 that is no longer true as we now have a definition of dyscalculia which was developed by the British Dyslexia Association dyscalculia committee and was accepted by SASC (SpLD Assessment Standards Committee) who regulated assessment in 2019.

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Recognising and supporting Dysgraphia in children

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Dysgraphia is a Greek word. The base word graph refers both to the hand’s function in writing and to the letters formed by the hand. The prefix dys indicates

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Parenta -  working together for our children

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Parenta -  working together for our children

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Strategies to support children to improve their memory skills

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In the film, "Inside Out", every time the main character had an experience, a memory ball was created and sent to the memory store in her 'brain'. Memories were made several times a day and when she needed them, they were retrieved from the memory 'store' and used as something to learn from, or as an emotional trigger. It was a good metaphor for the way our brains store memories, albeit a little bit simplistic. In reality, the way our brain stores information is still somewhat of a mystery; on one level we store millions of pieces of information every second of every day, but retrieving and using that information when we need it, that's a different story.

For many children, this is problematic, and they may appear to have 'forgotten' even the simplest of instructions only moments after hearing them, whilst confounding logic because they can easily recite the lyrics to their favourite songs. This is when you might begin to realise that they have some short-term memory problems which can severely impact on their ability to learn and use the information they are given. If unrecognised, they can be labelled as 'inattentive', 'lazy' or 'badly behaved' and they can fall behind their peers, eventually leading to under-achievements in secondary school and exams, or problems in other areas of life.

Short-term memory problems are relatively common in childhood, and more so in conditions such as traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, autism, cognitive impairment and in people with learning disabilities. Everyone's brain is different and learning HOW to remember things is something that some children may need our help with.

What is memory?

Memory is defined as "the ability of an organism to record information about things or events with the facility of recalling them later at will." There are three main stages of memory:

Encoding - information from the outside world is received by our senses through physical or chemical stimuli, and then processed and combined so it can be stored

Storage - the creation of a permanent record of the encoded information

Retrieval - the recall of the stored information by first locating the information and then returning it to our consciousness for use

Problems with memory can occur at any of these stages.

As well as three stages of memory, there are three forms of memory storage:

Sensory memory - this is not controlled consciously and usually lasts less than a second

Short-term or working memory - this type of memory normally last for less than a minute and most people can hold only 7 +/- 2 pieces of information here at once

Long-term memory - this is where we store enormous amounts of data for very long periods of time. There are two types of long-term memory: implicit memories (sensory or automatised behaviours), and explicit memories (pieces of information and memories of events/people/places)

If you think of working or short-term memory as a kind of notebook that the child is using 'in the moment', and long-term memory as a filing cabinet they can access when they need more information, you will get an idea of how memory works.

For example, if you say to a child: "Pick up your pens/crayons, get some paper and let's draw a cat", then to be successful in the task, the child needs to store your instructions in their short-term memory and follow each instruction in turn. To remember what a cat is, however, they will need to access their long-term memory and recall the characteristics of a cat. Where children have short-term memory problems, they may not remember multiple instructions, so may pick up a pen, but not remember what to do with it. Working memory capacity varies between people and can easily be lost through distraction and/or overload, so problems here can stack up for young children. In the above example, the original instructions will now be 'lost' to the child, so they will need some other way of knowing what to do or they will not succeed in the drawing task. Their common response in this situation may be to 'guess' what to do or to give up entirely.

Interestingly, many children with short-term memory problems are often described as having 'attentional' issues rather than memory ones and adults often assume they are just not listening or paying attention so they don't get the help they really need. If you suspect a child has memory issues, speak to the parents so they can get a referral or assessment.

Strategies to help

There are ways to help children with short-term memory problems. Some strategies may be more relevant than others depending on the child's individual age and developmental stage.

Ways to help include:

Go slowly, repeat instructions and break things down into small steps, making sure each one is complete before moving on

Give the child opportunities for repetition and model what you need done. One of the best ways to learn new information is to keep repeating it through practice. This can then make use of 'procedural' memory, a type of long-term memory that helps people remember how to do individual steps in a process

Point to words orpick up items you are talking about to help focus attention

Create lists or visual reminders

Take photos, use diagrams and label things making a scrapbook or visual schedule the child can refer to

Make learning as active for the child as possible and engage their sensory learning modes by doing things as physically as possible in a 'hands-on' fashion

Make use of different learning styles, for example by using songs and music, pictures rhymes and smells to help the child process and encode the information

Make learning new things into a game or use stories to impart information. You can even roleplay things too

Ask the child to repeat things back to you (if they are old enough)

Use acronyms and mnemonics - e.g. "Never Eat Shredded Wheat", used to remember compass points (NESW)

Keep in mind that these short-term memory problems are ones that the child has no conscious control over. They are not 'trying to be difficult' or 'just not listening'; but they do have a 'hidden' issue that they need help with. Remember too, that each child is different and no one strategy will work with every child. Best practice would suggest that you discover the strategies that work best for individual children so you can help them reach their full potential.

References and more information

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In the film, "Inside Out", every time the main character had an experience, a memory ball was created and sent to the memory store in her 'brain'. Memories were made several times a day and when she needed them, they were retrieved from the memory 'store' and used as something to learn from, or as an emotional trigger.