NLD is a developmental disability which all too often goes undiagnosed.  NLD individuals are often bright, sometimes incredibly so.  As young children, they may actually be targeted as gifted, due to their mature vocabulary, rote memory skills and apparent reading ability. However, parents likely realize early on that something is amiss.  As preschoolers, NLD youngsters probably have difficulty interacting with other children and acquiring self-help skills. They are often not physically adept or adaptable and present with a host of other troublesome problems that are of concern, but not alarming.

In all likelihood, such NLD children bump along (figuratively and literally) through their early elementary years, handling the academic demands fairly well, except when their fine motor difficulties get in the way, or they fail to attend to a math symbol calling for addition or subtraction, or some other subtle symptom of their disorder derails them.

As these children enter the upper elementary grades or begin middle school, they are left to handle more tasks on their own and things rapidly begin to deteriorate.  They get lost, forget to do homework, seem unprepared for class, have difficulty following directions, struggle with math, can't read their social studies textbook, can't write an essay, continually misunderstand both their teachers and their peers, and are often anxious in public and angry at home.  They are accused of being lazy, rude, uncooperative and worse.  Nothing could be farther from the truth! They have NLD.

The term Nonverbal Learning Disability is actually quite misleading.  These children are clearly quite verbal, with their areas of deficit being in the nonverbal domains.  In  addition, NLD is not a learning disability in the classic sense.  We understand a learning disability, such as dyslexia, to be academically-based.  NLD, on the other hand, is a life learning disability.  NLD children and adults require instruction in all areas, from academic, to social, to problem-solving, to independent living.

Virtually all of the NLD assets and deficits are found in individuals with ASPERGER'S SYNDROME, WILLIAM'S SYNDROME, de LANGE SYNDROME, TURNER'S SYNDROME, HYDROCEPHALUS and VELOCARDIOFACIAL SYNDROME. For this reason, MANY of the educational and social skill interventions for NLD individuals are also valuable for those with these disorders.

Pam Tanguay and D. Mooney

• American Hyperlexia Association (AHA)
  A non-profit organization with the goal of identifying hy0perlexia, promoting and facilitating effective teaching techniques, and educating the public as to the existence of Hyperlexia.
   

• Asperger's Syndrome Coalition of the United States, Inc.
  ASC-U.S.
  A national, non-profit organization committed to providing the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on social and communication disorders, with particular focus on Asperger's Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning.
   

• Autism Society of America
  A national organization providing information and support for individuals with autism and their families.
   

• Center for Non-verbal Studies (CNS)
  A non-profit research center whose mission is to advance the study of human communication in all its forms apart from language.
   

• Families of Adults affected with Asperger's Syndrome (FAAAS)
  Online information and support for families of adults with Asperger's Syndrome.
   

• Online Asperger's Syndrome Information and Support (O.A.S.I.S.)
  Comprehensive site for Asperger's Syndrome maintained by the parent of a child with Asperger's Syndrome.
   

• Talk Autism
  Partners with private and governmental organizations to provide integrated technology-based communication and education services to families and professionals dealing with autism.
  

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Last modified: July 11, 2010