Myths and Facts of NVLD
Today we’re going to discuss common myths of NVLD. Here are “6 Common Myths About Nonverbal Learning Disabilities” from understood.org, an article by Erica Patino.
“Myth #1: Because they’re so verbal, kids with NVLD don’t struggle in school. Fact: It’s true that kids with NVLD tend to be talkative and have a large vocabulary. They can also remember a lot of information and enjoy sharing it. But it’s not an academic advantage to have a nonverbal learning disability. While there are lots of ways to help kids with NVLD at school, NVLD can create obstacles related to spatial skills, organization, and understanding abstract information. Kids with NVLD may also struggle with math, scientific concepts, and reading comprehension. I was verbal growing up but I struggled in school. That's why my parents had to help me so much and then when they couldn’t help me because subjects like math, writing, science, history got to the level of difficulty that they couldn’t help me anymore. This was true because I was learning new things or things in a way that they hadn’t learned in school so they got confused.”
“Myth #2: Kids with NVLD don’t pay attention. Fact: When your child doesn’t follow your instructions for making pancakes or skips several steps on a school project, it can seem like she’s/he’s not trying hard or isn’t paying attention. In fact, it’s not unusual for teachers or doctors to initially suspect that a child with NVLD has ADHD. Kids with NVLD, though, are actually paying close attention to what’s going on around them. They just have trouble separating important from unimportant information. They process each piece of information as it comes in, instead of sifting through it for what’s most relevant. That makes it hard for them to stay organized and follow directions.”
This myth is so true because I can remember when I was in my first few college classes I would have issues with knowing what to take notes on because I was trying to absorb the information the professor was saying as I was making notes. But if you fast-forward two years to when I had my accommodations and could record my lectures I took notes on some parts of the class that I knew were more important because of the readings. This made it easier. After all, I didn’t have to worry so much about missing information because I could go back to the recordings if needed.
“Myth #4: Kids outgrow NVLD. Fact: Although trouble with motor coordination and social skills may look like “growing pains,” kids with NVLD don’t outgrow these challenges. NVLD and the issues that come with it will remain throughout adulthood. NVLD might appear to go away, though, as children get older and learn to cope. For instance, motor skills training and social skills training can help kids with NVLD relate better to others and build self-esteem.”
I can definitely relate to myth 4 because I can remember when I thought that I could overcome challenges with NVLD and they would poof be gone just like that. This is not true. I have gotten better at many things like social skills, fine motor skills, and math but I still struggle a little in those areas today. When I do math in my head it takes longer than a neurotypical because I have NLD and a slower mental calculating speed. But I’m faster at it than I used to because I’ve worked so hard at improving this skill. I still struggle with social skills when I’m talking with my best friends because sometimes I’m not sure if they’re interested in the same things I am.Like if they want to hear about how my Aimvoig appointment went or not but they actually did so I told them about it. When in doubt just ask them about it before going making a fool of yourself by jumping into a topic that you think they’ll be interested in? (at least that’s my thought process) I’ve gotten better at my fine motor skills because I keep trying to do sports and tasks that should be difficult for people with NLD. But I still have challenges with driving now because I don’t do it as often as I used to so I have lost trust in my abilities and wonder if they will ever come back. I do know deep down they will because I don’t give up easily especially when I want to keep trying to do something that gives me more independence.
“Myth #5: Kids with NVLD don’t like sports. Fact: Kids with NVLD might really enjoy sports. Unfortunately, they often have difficulty with gross motor skills, which prevents them from making smooth, coordinated movements. Because sports activities are much harder for them, they may become anxious about gym class and avoid playing sports altogether. If your child has NVLD and is interested in sports, explore sports recommended for kids who have trouble with motor skills, social skills, and more.”
I loved sports when I was growing up and still do. I didn’t choose sports that had more gross motor skills like basketball, baseball, golf, hockey, or tennis. But choose the ones with fewer gross motor skills like skiing, running, martial arts, and currently surfing. Although I picked these sports I still had challenges learning them probably due to having NVLD because it does make you have slower reflexes and more difficult to do things that require multitasking. But like I mentioned earlier I don’t give up easily especially when I love to do something like running and skiing.
“Myth #6: Kids with NVLD don’t try hard enough to make friends and fit in. Fact: No matter how hard they try to connect, kids with NVLD often lack the key social skills needed to easily make and keep friends. They may not recognize that a shy classmate who’s smiling is trying to initiate a conversation. They may also misread another child’s aloof tone of voice as an invitation to play. Social skills training and other options can help them to better see and understand social cues.”
I can definitely relate to this one too because I remember growing up being very shy. It was due to not having sufficient social skills at that age but I didn’t know that because I was unaware of having NLD at that age. I didn’t know I had it for sure until I was 19. I suspected when I was in high school that something was up because I always compare myself to my brother since math and writing were easier for him than me. He didn’t need tutors like I did to get through middle and high school. I’m not saying that my brother didn’t try hard to pass his classes because he did. But I don’t think he cried over it as many times as I did or had to have his teachers redesign something to him that they previously had described the day before, as mine did.
I would also like to share with you the myths and facts from the article titled “Nonverbal Learning Disabilities”
“Myth or Fact: Students with Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD) make friends easily and work well in group activities.
“Myth: It can be very difficult for someone with NLD to work in group settings, as they tend to not pick up quickly on nonverbal social cues, such as body language and facial expressions. Students with NLD will often prefer to work independently.”
I do remember it being difficult for me to do group projects in school because sometimes the other group members wouldn't work to the same degree level as I would. The only time this wasn’t true was when I was in groups supervised by an adult that helped by making sure that everyone did the work they were supposed to do.
“Students with NLD prefer smaller campuses. Although indeed, students with NLD may initially have difficulty navigating a larger city or campus, students have attended small, medium, and large university and college campuses. Having a pre-orientation of the campus and tour of the town can go a long way to help ease the anxiety.”
I do remember that it was helpful that UC Berkeley was a small campus so I could navigate easily but Berkeley was a big city. I got used to navigating by taking buses and using google maps so I wouldn’t get lost because I knew that my sense of direction was off. So whether you have NLD or not today you learned something new about the myths and facts about it. And the ones that do have it like me and many other individuals still struggle with these challenges discussed in this episode and many others.
https://www2.unb.ca/alc/modules/nonverbal-ld/myth-or-fact.html
