One of the hardest things about overcoming an NVLD is that it is not unusual to be underestimated, given our deficits. These can include deficits in academics, social communication, motor skills, and processing speed making it easy to be underestimated at times. For me, personally, being underestimated triggered self-esteem issues. However, I was very appreciative of the adults who always believed in me. Read More
At the beginning of my senior year in high school, I had a meeting with my AP English Language/Film Studies teacher. A brilliant lady, she was using her Ph.D to teach inner-city high school students. I was hoping her pedigrees from Tufts and University of Michigan would help slide me into a good college through a letter of recommendation. Read More
Growing up, one of my favorite parts of the school day was connecting with all of my coaches. Truthfully they were the adults who understood me the best, which allowed them to really connect with me. Having these strong relationships is why I strongly believe having a coach/athlete relationship is important for a student with an NVLD or similar disability. The reality is coaches support you in all aspects of life, and because athletics are in a more casual setting, these students can open up more to them.
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The beginning of my story is a lot like the others here. I was diagnosed in the first grade. My teacher noticed I was speaking a high level, but couldn’t do the work. I had troubles with boundaries and relating to the other children. Sure enough, after being in several psychologists offices I was diagnosed with NVLD, and ADHD. Read More
One of the hallmarks of being a woman in Westernized society is the concept of perfection, of upholding the patriarchy. That was a lot of academic jargon, so give me a bit, and I’ll break it down for you. Read More
A man gets a recommendation from a therapist to get a full mental evaluation by a neuropsychologist because the therapist believes he may have ASD. Man has the evaluation and learns he doesn’t have ASD but he has something called Non Verbal Learning Disorder (NVLD or NLD depending on your preference). Man is confused. Read More
My name is Sydney and I am 23 years old. I am from a small town in Alabama and was diagnosed with NVLD when I was in the 5th grade. While the diagnoses answered a bunch of questions, it opened its own can of problems. My parents immediately put an IEP in place for me at school to receive certain accommodations, hardly any of which were met throughout the rest of my schooling, reasoning being my grades were “good enough” and I didn’t really need assistance. I was an all A and occasional B student. Friends were few and far between but I clung to the ones I did have. Marching band was a safe haven for me and was the only place in which I felt I was good at something. Read More
With National Student-Athlete Day being in April, I think about how lucky I am to have been coached by you, Penny. It truly allowed me to be a student-athlete which is unusual for someone like me who has an NVLD. There was never a day where you weren’t supporting me and making sure I always had equal opportunities. I know it wasn’t always easy, and I greatly appreciate how far out of your way you went for me. Read More
I don’t even know where to begin. I had a learning disability for a long time. Academically I did ok except for math and taking notes. I was unable to make friends, was clumsy, and not included in social groups. In elementary school I was in a special gym class. I hated it. My mother constantly had me evaluated and tested. I wanted to be a normal kid. As I got older the constant special help led to anger behavioral problems which led to more exclusion and then removal from the family and dcf involvement. My life has been hard. The hardest part is not being able to relate and connect to others through friendships and relationships. I feel so alone in this world and feel misunderstood. Read More