 Ever wondered what is really involved with Nonverbal- Learning Disorder? Wondered if there are certain things you'll be able to do, whether right now or later in life? I have been in that position before. There was a time I didn't want anyone knowing I had it or to talk about it. This particular disability could be misunderstood in the way that it may sound like you can't talk (non-verbal). It actually means not being able to understand and interpret social cues.
Nonverbal learning disorder includes "rote memory", attention to detail, vocabulary and verbal ability, auditory retention, having to do with words and sentences, early reading, spelling skills, and gross motor skills being strengths, whereas social awareness, abstract math, nonverbal communication, social judgement, organization, transitions, and coordination are a few of the weaknesses. Part of this disability also includes anxiety, trouble with social situations, math in particular being harder, to the point where it can sometimes suck. Language is a strength, whereas your coordination is probably not as good as other people's. Figuring out how to organize something might require some help because it can get overwhelming and can be hard to see what it looks like before it happens, due to the visual-spatial aspect. Routine is very important so processing change is hard because familiarity is security. On the flipside, some of the strengths going with this particular disability are noticing details, vocabulary, speech, spelling, and aside from comprehending what the heck you're reading, literature is easy and enjoyable. Comprehension is hard because it's a lot to keep track of which relates to the aspect of your brain holding so much information and processing at once. Being an example, while in public school, math was one of the harder subjects because it's hard to keep all the steps in your head at once. Psychologically, it has been proven that information can literally fall out of your head. Your brain can only process so much at once. History is hard because maps, and latitude and longitude were hard because I couldn't see things in space. No matter how many times I went over it, I still didn't get it. Along with academics, social situations were very hard because social judgement is a weakness. Not being able to read nonverbal cues like facial expressions didn't help. Emotions like happiness, sadness, surprise, and anger, for example, all look the same to me. Like facial expressions, gestures are also hard to read and understand. Side note: Charades is a nightmare of a game since it's pure nonverbal cues...don't do it. Moving on to question two, even though there aren't a lot of resources out there right now, there are steps to take and tools to use to overcome anything in the present moment or future. More on the specifics in future blog posts. Finding work-arounds that work for you as an individual makes things so much easier and not so bleak. Stay tuned for future posts where I share what resources have helped me. If you have any questions, want to learn more, or talk about experiences, go to the contact page and drop me an email or comment down below.
2 Comments
Marj Nardi
7/14/2021 04:49:54 pm
This is really interesting reading about NVLD from your perspective, instead of your Mom's. I am enjoying learning more about it and can't wait to see what you post next! Also, your writing is really good - I am impressed!
A Writer's Spirit
7/16/2021 01:35:29 pm
Through Mom and everyday experiences I have learned so much and gained my own insights on the subject. It's a somewhat complex subject so when I blog about it, I want to make it as simplified as possible. Thank you so much, I learned more tips and tricks than I thought I did from my English class. :) Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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