COVID and How it Affects NLDers
In today’s podcast, we’ll discuss how COVID and How it Affects NLDers. The first article from the NVLD Project is titled “The Effects of COVID for NVLD Students” by Eileen who (quote) “love to tackle challenges.”(end quote)
“First, needing to wear a mask to be safe is challenging as many experience fine motor and communication difficulties. In the beginning, I experienced my own struggles. So hearing the stories about how this requirement has brought extra challenges such as having it on all day and difficulty being understood makes total sense to me. Yes, others are facing difficulties wearing a mask too but, for this population, the struggle is real, and for the more severe population who may not understand it is even harder.”
I can relate to what Eileen said about masks and challenges because it’s harder for me to read facial expressions with half of the face covered. Since the mouth is covered with the mask, I have to rely on the eyes and eyebrows to try to read their facial expression. This makes it difficult because you may guess the wrong expression based on only having half of the face to look at or reference. Also, tone of voice can be muffled when someone is talking with a mask on so that makes it harder too. Because usually the tone of voice can help you identify someone’s mood.
Another issue that makes it hard for young people is that they need to work from home if they have a job that can be done remotely which means they get to spend less time with coworkers. They also have to limit their interaction with their friends and loved ones so this compounds their loneliness. Unless you live with your parents as I do then you are less fortunate because you don’t see them 24/7.
I feel like my social life is on hold though because I can only be with friends virtually until we get vaccinated because my parents, especially my dad, are in the more vulnerable age group so I want to keep them safe. I wear two face masks instead of one to protect them and myself because I’m in the asymptotic category.
Employers have also used COVID as an excuse to fire, or terminate employees with LDs (i.e. Learning Disabilities) since it usually costs more money, time, and energy to train them. And to help them out when they run into challenges.
In the article “A Million People with Disabilities Have Lost Jobs During the Pandemic” Allen Smith, J.D. says that 1 in 5 people with disabilities has lost jobs since last March compared to 1 in 7 of the general population. I think people with LDs are more vulnerable or at risk because of the pandemic since employers can use that as an excuse to fire, let go, or terminate them even though they may never have gotten COVID-19. The employer would probably be using it as an excuse to cut down on the time, money, and energy that it would take to help that employee that has autism or other learning disabilities (or challenges) to perform their job well. The employer would have to spend extra time, money, and energy to train that employee so they could do their job as close to the way a neurotypical person would.
I’ve been fortunate to not be among the ones to lose their job but that’s because my employer understands NVLD and helps me with the challenges it presents. Also, because our staff has already reduced during COVID and doesn’t need to get any smaller. I would say the pros are the flexibility, safety from getting COVID-19, convenience, and affordability. It would allow that individual to save stress on making ends meet with rent, food, technology (i.e. internet, Wifi, TV), utilities, health insurance, car insurance, taxes, or other bills. The main con would be that it would be harder to get hands-on help from their employer for certain tasks. Another one would be that it would be more difficult to work on social issues, challenges with limited interaction with co-workers.
The second article from the NVLD Project is titled “Helpful Coronavirus Homeschooling Tips for Parents,” by Craig Cselinger, M.S., CCC-SLP who is a “ Licensed Speech-Language Therapist and Learning Specialist whose experience includes an appearance on WPIX 11 News of New York discussing developmental apraxia of speech. Cselinger also has a podcast called Hope for Kids and Adults with ADHD: Craig Selinger of Themba Tutors.”
This one addresses the difficulty parents are dealing with because schools are not being held in person anymore.
“Before you begin homeschooling, talk to your partner, or yourself, to work out a schedule. And keep your kids on it! If you’re in a two-parent household, it’s important to talk to your partner about how homeschooling will work, Selinger says. Does one parent need to work remotely with no distractions for part of the day? Is one parent more flexible? Scheduling your days as a family needs to start with the caregiver(s) carving out time to work, teach, and do the dishes. If you’re a single parent, have this conversation with yourself: when do you need to work, and when can you take some time to help the kids learn? When can you take time for yourself?”
I can relate to this article because I was homeschooled in an online charter school before college. And we did it at my parents’ workplace so I know what it’s like for them to have to juggle school and work. I had to learn how to block out all the noises in the work environment also. This made it easier when I got to college because I could study in a noisy environment.
It’s also hard because daycares are closed so mothers and fathers have to take care of their kids for longer than usual. Parents also will have to find tutors because they most likely won’t know how to help their kids with homework unless their teachers. Even if they are teachers they might need help because they might have learned differently when they were in school or how their kids’ teachers are teaching them.
I had tutors in middle and high school because it got to the point where my parents couldn’t help me anymore since I was learning things in new ways or things they had never learned in school. Thankfully my mom being a minister had a good size congregation that were teachers or had been teachers that could help me out with various subjects.
So whether it’s trying to read facial expressions while someone is wearing a mask, working from home, or homeschooling kids, I and others who have NLD experience difficulty in all these areas.
As I wrap today I would like to share a few things with you. I would love to know what is the most difficult thing you encounter during COVID? If you're listening on Spotify or somewhere else please shoot me an email at livingwithnld@gmail.com. If you’re listening on livingwithnld.com please leave a comment below the episode. Thank you for listening today. Talk to you next Friday.
Links for articles
https://nvld.org/the-effects-of-covid-for-nvld-students-by-eileen/
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/pages/coronavirus-unemployment-people-with-disabilities.aspx
