When we consider learning disorders, conditions like dyslexia often come to mind. These typically involve challenges with language, particularly in decoding written words and mastering reading. However, there exists another category of learning disorder that is not rooted in verbal communication but rather in the realm of nonverbal cues and information processing. This is known as Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD) or Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD). Recent research indicates that NVLD affects approximately 3 to 4 percent of children in North America. While not formally recognized as an official diagnosis like ADHD or autism, experts increasingly recognize NVLD as a valuable framework for understanding and addressing specific learning difficulties that may be overlooked by these broader categories. Understanding what NVLD is, its symptoms, and available support is crucial for educators and parents alike.
Decoding Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD)
Children with Nonverbal Learning Disability do not struggle with language acquisition, reading fluency, or memorizing facts. In fact, as Scott Bezsylko, executive director of Winston Preparatory Schools, aptly describes it, NVLD is “the opposite of dyslexia.” The core challenges for individuals with NVLD lie in the realm of interpreting and processing nonverbal information. This encompasses understanding relationships, grasping abstract concepts, recognizing patterns, and making sense of ideas that are not explicitly stated through words.
These cognitive skills, largely associated with the right hemisphere of the brain, are fundamental to a surprisingly wide array of abilities. From physical coordination and navigating social interactions to problem-solving, organizing thoughts, and planning effectively, NVLD can present significant hurdles. While these areas might seem disparate, they are unified by a common thread: each requires the ability to discern patterns or underlying concepts and then apply them flexibly to novel situations.
Five Key Areas of NVLD Weakness
Children with NVLD typically exhibit weaknesses in five primary areas, though the specific combination and severity can vary significantly from child to child.
1. Visual-Spatial Awareness
A significant number of children with NVLD experience difficulties in understanding visual imagery and spatial relationships. For instance, when presented with a task requiring them to copy a geometric shape, such as a cube, their reproductions often exhibit “profound distortions,” according to Bezsylko. This stems from an impaired ability to accurately perceive the cube’s form, the individual shapes that compose it, and the spatial relationships between these components. Consequently, the task of replicating the shape becomes exceedingly challenging.
Furthermore, difficulties extend to evaluating visual-spatial information in broader contexts. This can manifest as trouble understanding the spatial relationships between objects in their environment and a diminished sense of personal space and orientation. These challenges can contribute to physical clumsiness and difficulties with tasks requiring spatial reasoning.
2. Higher-Order Comprehension
Higher-order comprehension is the cognitive ability to discern the overarching main idea within information, identify supporting details, and understand the interconnected relationships between these elements. This skill is crucial for effective reading comprehension, coherent written expression, and the ability to narrate stories in a meaningful way.
NVLD can significantly impact higher-order comprehension. Bezsylko observed that some students with NVLD tend to meticulously transcribe everything a teacher says, struggling to differentiate between essential and extraneous information. Conversely, others may fail to capture any notes, appearing inattentive due to their inability to identify key points. Still others may diligently record information but inadvertently focus on less relevant details, missing the core message.
3. Social Communication Challenges
A hallmark of NVLD is difficulty in interpreting nonverbal social cues. Children with NVLD often struggle to accurately read emotions conveyed through facial expressions and body language. This can lead to significant misunderstandings in social interactions, as they may miss the subtle, unspoken dynamics that neurotypical children readily grasp. Lacking an intuitive understanding of these social patterns, individuals with NVLD may struggle to discern appropriate behavior in various social contexts.
This difficulty in navigating social complexities is a contributing factor to why some children with NVLD gravitate towards and become intensely focused on technology. As Bezsylko points out, “In chat rooms or in video games, they don’t have to deal with all the nonverbal stuff,” offering a refuge from the often confusing world of face-to-face social interaction.
4. Difficulties with Math Concepts
Many children with NVLD demonstrate strong rote memorization skills, which can enable them to perform well in mathematics, particularly in the early years, simply by memorizing formulas and procedures. However, as mathematical concepts become more abstract and require conceptual understanding and pattern recognition, they often begin to struggle. Even when encountering a problem type they have seen before, if presented in a slightly modified or novel way, they may have difficulty recognizing the underlying principles and applying their knowledge effectively.
5. Executive Function Deficits
Executive functions encompass a set of higher-level cognitive skills that are essential for organizing thoughts, planning and executing actions, and developing effective problem-solving strategies. Children with NVLD frequently exhibit weaknesses in these critical organizing and planning functions. For example, they may find it challenging to break down large projects into manageable steps or to conceptualize the sequence of actions required to achieve a specific goal.
Bezsylko emphasizes that “These kids have trouble figuring things out—in fact they don’t really know what figuring something out means.” This highlights the need for explicit instruction and support in developing these crucial executive function skills, teaching them the step-by-step processes involved in problem-solving and planning.
Manifestations and Severity of NVLD
The presentation of NVLD is diverse, with varying combinations of symptoms and a spectrum of severity. Some individuals with NVLD may be highly functional, exhibiting primarily social awkwardness, clumsiness, and disorganization – characteristics sometimes associated with the “absentminded professor” archetype. Others experience more pervasive challenges, impacting their functioning across multiple domains. These individuals may struggle to learn and master skills that are not explicitly taught through rote memorization or literal instruction.
A study conducted at Winston Prep, involving over 100 students diagnosed with NVLD, identified six distinct combinations of the five core deficits. While the largest group exhibited all five weaknesses, the second largest group presented with a combination of only two: social communication difficulties and executive function deficits. This underscores the heterogeneous nature of NVLD and the importance of individualized assessment and support.
NVLD: When Do Symptoms Become Noticeable?
Many children with NVLD can navigate elementary school relatively well, due to their strengths in memorization and rote learning. However, challenges often become more apparent around middle school. This transition coincides with an increased emphasis on higher-order reasoning skills – the ability to grasp main ideas, analyze details, and understand complex relationships between concepts. As Bezsylko notes, “There’s a saying that in fifth grade you stop learning to read, and now you read to learn,” and it is at this juncture that the underlying difficulties associated with NVLD may become more pronounced, causing students to fall behind academically and socially. Historically, Winston Prep primarily admitted students in grades six through ten, but has since expanded to include some students as young as fourth grade, recognizing the earlier onset of challenges for some children with NVLD.
Bezsylko further observes that “Almost all of these kids look inattentive and disorganized,” particularly as they progress through school. As academic demands, mathematical concepts, and social interactions become increasingly complex and less reliant on rote learning, the underlying difficulties associated with NVLD become more visible and impactful.
NVLD vs. Other Diagnoses: A More Comprehensive Understanding
It is important to reiterate that NVLD is not currently recognized as a formal diagnostic category within major mental health or educational classification systems. Children who exhibit NVLD traits are frequently diagnosed with other conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder or ADHD. While these diagnoses capture certain behavioral aspects, they may not fully explain the underlying cognitive processing differences that contribute to the observed symptoms.
For instance, a child exhibiting disorganization and inattentiveness is often readily diagnosed with ADHD. However, these behaviors may be secondary to an underlying difficulty in comprehending instructions, understanding written material, or grasping the nature of a problem they are asked to solve – all core challenges in NVLD. As Bezsylko aptly states, “You can’t pay attention if you can’t understand.”
Similarly, a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder may be characterized by social and communication deficits. These challenges, too, can be rooted in NVLD, specifically the difficulty in recognizing and interpreting nonverbal cues like facial expressions and body language, leading to social unresponsiveness.
Consider the Winston Prep study group who presented with all five NVLD deficits. The majority of these students had pre-existing diagnoses of either ADHD or autism spectrum disorder. However, as Bezsylko points out, “those diagnoses don’t identify three important areas where they are struggling”: higher-order comprehension, math concepts, and visual and spatial relations. Without recognizing and addressing the underlying NVLD, interventions may not effectively target these core areas of weakness, hindering the child’s overall progress. Recognizing NVLD offers a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding, paving the way for more targeted and effective support strategies.
In conclusion, Nonverbal Learning Disability is a complex learning disorder characterized by challenges in processing nonverbal information, recognizing patterns, and understanding abstract concepts. By understanding the key symptoms and seeking appropriate support, educators and parents can empower individuals with NVLD to thrive academically and socially.
