What Is Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD)?

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People with nonverbal learning disabilities typically do not have difficulty in areas such as reading, decoding language, spelling, vocabulary, or factual recall; however, they may have trouble with visual, spatial, or tactileperception.

This condition typically starts to become apparent in children when they are in the fifth grade, as their schoolwork becomes less about memorizing words and facts, and more about applying theoretical concepts.

Nonverbal learning disability is not recognized as an official diagnosis; however, it is estimated that approximately 5% of people with learning difficulties have this condition.Researchers, healthcare professionals, and educational institutes are studying the condition and advocating for it to be recognized.

This article explores the symptoms, causes, and treatment of nonverbal learning disability, as well as the efforts to recognize it as an official diagnosis.

Areas of Difficulty Associated With NVLD

Children with nonverbal learning disabilities may have difficulty in some of the following areas.

Visual and Spatial Awareness

A child with nonverbal learning disability may have trouble processingvisual imagery. For instance, if they are asked to copy a shape such as a square or triangle, they may draw something entirely different and disproportionate. This is because they may not be able to accurately perceive the shape, the elements that make up the shape, and the relationships between the elements.

The child may also have difficulty evaluating the visual-spatial aspects of their surroundings, making it hard for them to understand what they’re seeing and where exactly it’s located. As a result, they may be clumsy or physically awkward.

Higher-Order Comprehension

Children with nonverbal learning disabilities may have trouble with higher-order comprehension, which can make it hard for them to understand the salient points of what they’re reading. They may also have trouble telling or writing a story effectively.Difficulty in this area can also make note-taking hard, as children may not be able to distinguish between what information is important and what isn’t. As a result, they may write down everything the teacher is saying, write down the wrong things, or fail to write anything at all.

Mathematical Concepts

Children with nonverbal learning disabilities are good at rote learning and may therefore do well atmathin the early stages. However, they may start to struggle with math as it becomes more challenging and involves recognizing patterns or applying advanced concepts.

Even if the child is dealing with a math problem they’ve tackled before, they may have trouble figuring it out if it takes a different approach or has been modified slightly.

Executive Functions

Executive functionsare a set of higher-order skills that help us organize our thoughts, plan out our tasks, and figure out how to deal with problems or obstacles.

Social Skills

Children with nonverbal learning disabilities may struggle to readnonverbal cuesof communication, such as facial expressions and body language.

Unlike other children, who automatically start to pick up on social cues, children with this condition may have difficulty reading social situations. As a result, they may not be aware of what’s going on in the interaction and may not know the appropriate behavior for the situation.

Children with this condition may therefore be more comfortable with communication modes such as text or chat than in-person communication, since they don’t involve nonverbal cues.

Definition of Dyslexia in Psychology

Symptoms of NVLD

Someone with nonverbal learning disabilities may have difficulty with the following tasks:

As a result of their symptoms, children with nonverbal learning disabilities may feel isolated and marginalized, and face social barriers well into adulthood.

Causes of NVLD

Nonverbal learning disability is classified as a neurodevelopmental condition that is believed to stem from a dysfunction in theright hemisphereof the brain.Abnormalities in the white matter of the brain can hamper the transmission of neurological signals in this region, resulting in the symptoms of this condition.

Treatment of NVLD

People with nonverbal learning disabilities may benefit from the following types of treatment:

Recognizing NVLD as an Official Diagnosis

In fact, children who display symptoms of this condition are typically diagnosed with other conditions such asautism,anxiety, orattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In addition to helping define the condition and its symptoms, recognizing nonverbal learning disability as a health condition will also help individuals who are living with it get access to appropriate treatment, improve healthcare providers’ awareness of the condition, make patients eligible for insurance reimbursements, and help children get the educational support they need.

Columbia University’s Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry notes that the “NVLD profile” of symptoms is already gaining wide recognition among educators and neuropsychologists.

A Word From Verywell

If you suspect you or your child might have this condition, it may be helpful to see a mental healthcare provider who is aware of it and has worked with others who have it, in order to get the right treatment and support.

What Is Dysgraphia?

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Margolis AE, Broitman J, Davis JM, et al.Estimated prevalence of nonverbal learning disability among North American children and adolescents.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(4):e202551. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.2551Volden J.Nonverbal learning disability.Handb Clin Neurol. 2013;111:245-249. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-52891-9.00026-9Child Mind Institute.What is non-verbal learning disorder?Learning Disabilities Association of America.Nonverbal learning disabilities.Columbia University Department of Psychiatry.Inclusion of NVLD in future DSMs.NVLD Project.What is non-verbal learning disability?Winston Preparatory School.What is non-verbal learning disorder?NVLD Project.NVLD: What is it and why is it not in the DSM?

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Margolis AE, Broitman J, Davis JM, et al.Estimated prevalence of nonverbal learning disability among North American children and adolescents.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(4):e202551. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.2551Volden J.Nonverbal learning disability.Handb Clin Neurol. 2013;111:245-249. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-52891-9.00026-9Child Mind Institute.What is non-verbal learning disorder?Learning Disabilities Association of America.Nonverbal learning disabilities.Columbia University Department of Psychiatry.Inclusion of NVLD in future DSMs.NVLD Project.What is non-verbal learning disability?Winston Preparatory School.What is non-verbal learning disorder?NVLD Project.NVLD: What is it and why is it not in the DSM?

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Margolis AE, Broitman J, Davis JM, et al.Estimated prevalence of nonverbal learning disability among North American children and adolescents.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(4):e202551. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.2551Volden J.Nonverbal learning disability.Handb Clin Neurol. 2013;111:245-249. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-52891-9.00026-9Child Mind Institute.What is non-verbal learning disorder?Learning Disabilities Association of America.Nonverbal learning disabilities.Columbia University Department of Psychiatry.Inclusion of NVLD in future DSMs.NVLD Project.What is non-verbal learning disability?Winston Preparatory School.What is non-verbal learning disorder?NVLD Project.NVLD: What is it and why is it not in the DSM?

Margolis AE, Broitman J, Davis JM, et al.Estimated prevalence of nonverbal learning disability among North American children and adolescents.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(4):e202551. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.2551

Volden J.Nonverbal learning disability.Handb Clin Neurol. 2013;111:245-249. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-52891-9.00026-9

Child Mind Institute.What is non-verbal learning disorder?

Learning Disabilities Association of America.Nonverbal learning disabilities.

Columbia University Department of Psychiatry.Inclusion of NVLD in future DSMs.

NVLD Project.What is non-verbal learning disability?

Winston Preparatory School.What is non-verbal learning disorder?

NVLD Project.NVLD: What is it and why is it not in the DSM?

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