Signs & Symptoms of NLD
Nonverbal learning disabilities (NLD) impact one’s ability to
manipulate, integrate and learn from nonverbal information. Kids
with NLD have trouble understanding the “big picture.” They may
also have problems with reading comprehension, math, and implied
meaning. Because social interaction relies heavily on the
exchange of nonverbal cues, children with NLD are often socially
awkward. They may be adept with language and verbal reasoning,
making their disabilities less obvious to detect. NLD often does
not surface until middle or high school.
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Is this your child?
- Talks a lot, but says very little
- Sees the trees, not the forest
- Focuses on details; misses the main idea
- Does not see the big picture
- Does not read facial expressions, gestures, or
other nonverbal cues
- Misses subtleties and nuances
- Is socially awkward
- Has few friends-especially among same-age peers
- Processes information in a linear, sequential
manner, missing multiple dimensions
- Confuses abstract concepts yet can recall
sequences
- Shuts down when faced with pressure to perform
- Has poor handwriting
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Despite the name of this disorder, those who have NLD are far
from nonverbal. In fact, verbal skills are their greatest
assets-what they often lack is the ability to moderate or
modulate these skills. Children with NLD have difficulty
understanding cause-and-effect relationships and anticipating
the consequences of their actions. They are often overly literal
in their interpretation of social cues, missing the nuances
others intuitively understand. The same problem often plagues
their reading, especially as they move up in school.
Comprehension often falls off as they have trouble inferring,
interpreting, and reading between the lines of complex
assignments.
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Strengths
Children with NLD typically have good reading skills,
often outpacing their peers in elementary school.
Because they have excellent verbal memory, they often
possess a large store of information and have a
well-developed vocabulary. They tend to learn best via
listening.
Not all children with NLD display the same mix of
assets and deficits. However, suspect NLD if your child
has a combination of several of these learning
behaviors:
Assets:
- Remarkable rote memory
- Attention to detail
- Strong auditory retention
Deficits:
- Weak visual-spatial abilities
- Weak visual discrimination abilities
- Poor organizational skills
- Difficulty with inference and abstract reasoning
- Inflexible adherence to logic
- Problems with mathematical reasoning
- Difficulty reading nonverbal cues
- Impaired fine motor skills
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