In my previous piece, I discussed my personal frustrations with what many believed students with an NVLD and similar disabilities aren’t able to do. This is truly so disappointing to me. I know, personally, these beliefs aren’t entirely true, as most things they can do are achieved by taking advantage of all the resources available to them and through their own determination and hard work. So now I will continue explaining the different examples and how to do them successfully. Setting limitations for these students is truly a mistake. Read More
My name is Leila, and I was diagnosed with NVLD when I was in fifth grade. Having NVLD has made it really hard for me to do a lot of things. I’ve struggled with math since I was a child, and I still can’t ride a bike like all my other friends. I cannot tell the difference between sarcasm and literal things, and it’s super frustrating to me when my friends don’t understand, or when I misinterpret what they say. It sometimes makes me feel too sensitive or disconnected from others. Read More
I believe I inherited my learning disability from my father, who was diagnosed with a processing disorder in his 20s. At around 3 years old, doctors told my mother that it was possible that I wouldn’t be able to write and do other things that require visual spatial skills, such as driving. The occupational therapist also discovered that I could not cross midline meaning I could move left arm to my right side across the center of my body which indicated a disruption in the connection between the right and left hemispheres in my brain. Read More
Growing up with undiagnosed NVLD and ADHD was deeply challenging. While a few teachers were supportive, most students did not recognize my struggles, and I often felt ostracized within school social structures—from elementary school through high school. Because my learning disabilities were not diagnosed until my sophomore year, many teachers approached me with preconceived notions, labeling my difficulties with listening, following directions, interpreting nonverbal cues, and fine motor tasks as me being “difficult” or a “challenge,” rather than recognizing that I needed additional support. Read More
Growing up with an NVLD in a rural area brought many positives, such as being blessed with incredible support. Yet it had its difficulties too. So in this piece, I will discuss both the positives and negatives of living in a small and lower-income community. Read More
Middle school can be challenging, and having a Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD), a condition that affects social skills, body language interpretation, and spatial awareness, added its own complexities. (Neither did being a foot taller than half the grade or having acne, but I digress.) When you are younger, some quirks might seem cute or charming, but often by middle school, they are no longer seen that way. I quickly realized that struggling to read body language or differentiate sarcasm was isolating. I found myself outside the cliques forming around me. Read More
To today’s youth with an NVLD- If you’re having times when you feel that no one believes in you I empathize with you completely. I had those periods too. Fortunately, though I realized this wasn’t true. So in this piece, I will informally explain how there are adults in your life who believe in you and will support you. Read More
In my previous piece, I discussed growing up blessed with an incredible support team as I faced a few more challenges compared to others with disabilities. One of the reasons for this was that NVLD is a very misunderstood disability, I was underestimated. Personally, my weaknesses were more noticeable, and my incredible strengths took more time to see and in some cases were more hidden. So in this piece, I will continue to discuss the ups and downs that can come with having an NVLD. In addition, I will include advice on how to develop a great support system that helps make everything easier. Read More
I have always wondered as a child why I was different from others and struggled to be a part of everyone else world having to face day-to-day tasks at school and home with no support or help from SEN teams. My mother who wanted answers and help would consistently ask for help or support from many people in the sectors to help me never got any response or simply had no interest in assessing me. It went on for many years until high school and a noisy, busy, and crowded classroom full of neurotypical teenagers was my nightmare. Read More
If we choose to focus on everything a child cannot do, we fail to recognize their gifts. The educational system had a way of reflecting all of my weaknesses. But as a child, the library and books became my sanctuary-a quiet place to escape the noise and step into magical worlds filled with fairies and fantasy. Read More
