My name is Emily, and I am 24 years old. When I was 22, I found out I have Non-Verbal Learning Disability. (NVLD). I found out what that was through my Neuropsychologist. When I was in first grade, we started learning how to count money. I couldn’t figure it out for the life of me. I’d get so frustrated when the other kids understood and I didn’t.
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I believe too many IEP teams still believe the local community college and district summer work programs are our only options. This is far from the truth. I believe it is the lack of awareness of what is available that limits success for some students. Personally, if I didn’t go away for a summer program and then on to a college with comprehensive support and campus life, I wouldn’t have achieved as much as I did academically and socially.
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It wasn’t until recently that I learned that I was never properly tested for ADHD. It always felt like everyone around me was performing except me. I was diagnosed with several psychiatric disorders but the one diagnosis that stood out to me the most was NVLD.
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While it is no secret that I am a true believer of full inclusion in individual sports I am realistic and understand this can be difficult. Some difficulties have a negative effect on others involved so I get how it doesn’t work for everyone and how it can do more harm than good. However in the end I do believe everyone deserves a chance to experience inclusion in sports.
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Over the years I think about my journey overcoming an NVLD and what continues to come to mind is how my coaches were the ones who always supported me no matter how hard things became. Honestly when I was entering high school my social communication deficits became a real issue. Regretfully this triggered severe stubborn behaviors which caused me to talk back to some of my teachers. This resulted in some teachers not seeing the true me. My coaches though always understood me and helped me cope with my difficulties. Read More
Over the years I have been asked how I managed to be a three season runner and more importantly to be so respected by everyone despite having an NVLD and a Seizure Disorder. What comes to mind is how my coach, Penny, was so welcoming to me on the Varsity Winter and Spring track teams. She never treated me differently than my other teammates and through this Canton’s coach, John, and other runners became close to me as well. By being so accepted and valued I thrived as an athlete and as a person therefore I greatly believe being part of a team shouldn’t be so rare for someone with an NVLD. Read More
While there are several excellent colleges that have structured learning support programs for students with an NVLD and other learning disabilities, many who could greatly benefit from these programs get rejected from them. I believe a common reason for rejection is because the students don’t take enough challenging courses and their application doesn’t include enough non-academic activities. I believe one of the reasons for this is school counselors and resource room teachers don’t think the extra pressure this puts on students is necessary which through my own personal experience I know this isn’t true.
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Looking back, I remember the difficulty I had making and keeping friends. I remember the challenges I had in various social situations as well. Despite all of the quirks, I spent so much time trying desperately to change myself in one way or another. I would change the way I was dressed to blend in with various social groups, however my social skills (or lack there of) would give me away and they would soon discover that I was not who I was trying to be. Read More
2022 started at an all time low for me. I’ve had many lows over my young adult years with mental health and illness (I am now 27 years old), but things didn’t truly start to change for me until I hit the deepest of rock bottoms. I was hating myself, driven to a mental health crisis that ultimately landed me in the hospital for a week. However, this isn’t a sad story. No. This story is one of resilience and triumph, and I hope that it helps someone else.
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