Non-Verbal Learning Disorders

What is NLD?

NLD is a neurophysiological disorder which originates in the right hemisphere of the brain. Reception of nonverbal or performance-based information governed by this hemisphere is impaired in varying degrees, including problems with visual-spatial, intuitive, organizational, evaluative, and holistic processing functions.

The syndrome Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) consists of specific assets and deficits. The assets include early speech and vocabulary development, remarkable rote memory skills, attention to detail, early development of reading skills, eloquent verbal ability and strong auditory retention.

People with NLD can be helped by many forms of therapy, but their world is filled with confusing sensory stimuli and their physical endurance is challenged by generally low muscle tone. They need support throughout life with cognitive and organizational skills, motor skill development, pragmatics and social skills.

Children with NLD have advanced verbal and auditory memory. Some are precocious readers with advanced vocabularies. In fact, they're often nicknamed "the little professors." Nevertheless, NLD is a problem of language. The children have the rote language skills but when it comes to functional daily use of language, they have difficulties with tone of voice, inference, written expression, facial expression, gestures, and other areas of pragmatic speech.

Children with NLD benefit from rote learning, and from practicing what many would assume to be intuitive, such as greetings, eye contact, proximity, and other rules of social conduct. These children tend to be vulnerable to bullies and punitive forms of instruction. They have difficulty with mathematics, especially when they enter third and fourth grade as math skills become more abstract.

People with NLD have difficulty understanding patterns and lining up columns of numbers. Spoken instructions are also troublesome because of poor visual memory and difficulty picturing consecutive directions. NLD also affects coordination, causing clumsiness, poor balance and a tendency to fall, and poor safety judgment. No one is sure what causes NLD.

The environment is the most important support for people with NLD. When school and home are positive, safe, and predictable, children with NLD can thrive and become independent and productive adults.

NLD is different from Language-based learning difficulties. Educators and all caregivers must be specially trained to deal with the cognitive, behavioral and social issues unique to NLD.