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Parents Blogs

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Jun 25
Love0

Trust Your Gut and Help Your Child, by Maria

By Parents Blogs

My daughter, Anna, 10, was diagnosed with NLD last year. I had a normal pregnancy and normal delivery. During Anna’s first 4 years of life, she was rather quiet and clingy. I took advantage of the situation and held her all the time, she was like an extension of my own body. She was happy as long as she was with me. She did not enjoy people’s compliments and signs of affection much. She was content ONLY in my presence and when close to me physically.

She took rather long time to start talking in full sentences. She also took a little longer to start walking. Or, in retrospect, it took her longer to venture far from her comfort zones (home, me). She could walk and run and be happy, but rather at home and in my presence.
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Mar 28
Love0

3 Tips To Help Adults With NVLD Land The Job Of Their Dreams, by Sally

By Parents Blogs

While there are no specific studies for those with NVLD, many studies state that 75 to 85 percent of young adults on the autism spectrum are unemployed. Young adults with Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) face a number of unique challenges in the workforce which can ultimately discourage applying and interviewing for a job. For example, it can be hard to understand nonverbal social cues from an interviewer. However, there are strategies that can help ease this transition and help your loved one land the job of their dreams. Check out these tips to prepare young adults with NVLD for applying, interviewing, and ultimately reaching all the professional success that they deserve.
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Feb 14
Love4

Hope, by Janet

By Parents Blogs

My son was diagnosed with NVLD in the 4th grade. Given the fact that he and his brother were surviving triplets born at 24 weeks gestation you can only imagine the early intervention appointments they both had in the beginning when they came home from the NICU after each having lengthy stays.

Fast forward until now where they are both 21 years old. My son who was diagnosed with 100% NVLD in now a junior at UMASS Amherst. I was horrified when I learned this was one of his top picks for schools to attend.
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Feb 14
Love0

Strategies for Preparing Teens with NVLD for College, by Sally

By Parents Blogs

Preparing your teen for college is no small task. Between test prep, college essays and applications, financial aid, and high school graduation, the time leading up to the first day of college is filled with plenty of activities. If your child has had to work through the symptoms of Non-Verbal Learning Disability (NVLD) throughout high school, you may be concerned with how to best prepare him or her for college life. It is a common misconception that college is not a realistic option for those who have NVLD. However, many individuals with the condition have gone on to graduate with a degree.
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Dec 11
Love9

The Subtleties of NVLD, by Jen

By Parents Blogs

I was pretty sure something was different about him when he was very young. He had a funny walk and would fall a lot because he was fearless and would move too fast. He often seemed to be in his own head and I guess you could say he was quirky.

When he was a preschooler going in for a teeth cleaning, the hygienist was kept on her toes trying to clean his teeth because he was so active in his seat. By the third grade he could no longer be managed in a regular education setting! To be totally honest, I don’t think he was ever highly engaged in his preschool through second grade experience, but there were enough other distractions in those primary classrooms that his challenges could still be overlooked… or accommodated by teachers or volunteers.
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Dec 04
Love2

Is College a Realistic Option??, by Lore

By Parents Blogs

The excitement mixed with a little anxiety most parents experience during a child’s senior year in high school. Mine is anxiety and uncertainty.

Seven years ago it was suggested my son may have Asperger’s. A few years later it just developed that he was simply on the Autism Spectrum. This was all unraveling while working on my Master’s Degree in psychology. My formal education, the intimate knowledge of my own son, and a gut feel persistently gnawed at me. The diagnosis just didn’t seem right. The pieces of the puzzle didn’t fit.
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Oct 30
Love4

“Failure to Launch” in NVLD Young Men, by Pamela

By Parents Blogs

My son, age 27, has NVLD. I do not have a written diagnosis for his NVLD as when he had his complete neuropsychological testing in 1998 that term was not used. His test results showed verbal spatial discrepancy of greater than 30 and WISC scores ranging from 5 on visual spatial tasks to 16 on isolated verbal tasks. (I am not a professional psychologist so I’m using this terminology as an amateur.). He struggled to get through high school and never formally met the high school graduation foreign language and math requirements. He did not go to college. He has had several minimum wage type jobs in landscaping and marine activities. He has no comprehension of why he can only get minimum wage jobs as his diagnosis has never been explained to him. I feel this is definitly hindered by the lack of a DSM diagnosis of NVLD. My son quit his job last week, and announced he must get a college degree to be successful. I don’t even know where to start in addressing this issue with a twenty seven year old young man, who wants to believe he is as capable as the next person, who could not sit still long enough for me to pronounce the words visual spatial deficit, but who verbally and in many ways intellectually is a lovely, strong, handsome young man who is totally confused about the world and how to fit into it and I as a parent am at a lost to help him.
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Oct 12
Love0

Is Homeschooling Right For You? The Pros and Cons of Taking Your Child Out of the Conventional Classroom, by Sally

By Parents Blogs

It is assumed that every child must go to school in order to maximize their ability to learn and make friends. However, rules such as these do not include every type of child. For some children, especially those with a learning disability such as NVLD, school can be an incredibly stressful and emotional experience where no one really understands them or their needs. Indeed, this can quickly lead to social exclusion, bullying, and a lack of care from over worked teachers. If this sounds familiar, then it may be worth considering homeschooling your child. After all, you know how they tick more than anyone else.
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Jul 28
Love4

The Struggle of NVLD and the MN Education System, by Amanda

By Parents Blogs

My daughter Lexus has Nonverbal Learning Disorder. The fight I have been facing is with our school districts and trying to make them understand what NVLD is. I have been fighting this battle since my daughter was in 1st grade and have been blown off and disrespected by many in the school system. People don’t understand how severe NVLD is to a child who goes to school and it’s time that Nonverbal Learning Disorder is a recognized learning disability.
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