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Similarities & Differences of Nonverbal Learning Disorder and Asperger's Disorder

2023-02-28

Non-verbal Learning Disorder, or NVLD, affects a person’s visual-spatial, social, and motor skills. It is similar to another common disorder: Asperger’s Disorder, or AD, is a high-functioning form of autism that impacts someone’s ability to communicate and socialize. NVLD and AD, while many believe it to be the same thing, are not. While they do share signs and symptoms, there are some key characteristics that make them different. Here are some of the similarities and differences of Nonverbal Learning Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder:

Similarities:

Both NVLD and AD make it difficult for those diagnosed to recognize and understand nonverbal communication cues. This can be seen in how they process spatial distance. It is also seen in their inability to perceive facial expressions, changes in tones of voice, and other gestures.

These disorders make it hard for some to keep meaningful relationships and/or collaborate with others. This is because others may perceive their lack of social skills as rudeness or apathy. People may also believe those with NVLD and AD are odd because of their interests or their social awkwardness, which makes it hard for them to fit into crowds. As a result, people with these disorders may respond to rejection by having emotional outbursts and isolating themselves from others.

People with Nonverbal Learning Disorder and people with Asperger’s Disorder also face difficulty with executive functioning, or planning, skills. This might be because they prefer to stick to a consistent schedule and find change to be stressful. Many prefer consistency because those with NVLD and AD are also diagnosed with social anxiety, which brings along fears of uncertainty and low self-esteem.

Those with Nonverbal Learning Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder have extremely strong memory and can memorize information they have heard rather than seen.

Differences:

The routes to diagnosing NVLD and AD are different. For example, someone can approach diagnosing Nonverbal Learning Disorder by doing a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation. Alongside this, a NVLD diagnosis also takes into consideration a person’s psychiatric and social/familial past, as these things tend to aggravate symptoms. Meanwhile, an AD diagnosis is based more on details from a person’s history, school reports, and observations. However, a neuropsychological evaluation is beneficial for an AD diagnosis as well.

How those with the two disorders process emotions varies. Those with NVLD feel a normal range of emotions, but they cannot express them as well as others and cannot perceive them in others when shown non-verbally. People with AD have a contrasting emotional range; this is because they do not know when or how to appropriately express their emotions.

People with NVLD and AD showcase contrasting academic strengths. Children with Nonverbal Learning Disorder typically go on to do very well with more vocabulary-based lessons, such as reading and writing, while those with Asperger’s advance in more analytical subjects like math and science.

Nonverbal Learning Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder are not categorized in the same disorder criteria. This is because NVLD is a learning disability, while AD is a developmental disorder.

Despite this, studies show that many people, around eighty percent, who are diagnosed with either of these disorders also have the other. Because of this, people can approach treatments in the same way. Some treatments include therapies such as applied behavior analysis (ABA), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and occupational therapy (OT), executive functioning coaching, and social skills training.

Recognizing the differences between these disorders will help you provide your child with the type of testing and treatment best to help them grow in their personal, familial, and social environments.

Sources:

The Asperger / Autism Network. “Asperger's Disorder and Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities: How Are These Two Disorders Related to Each Other?” The Asperger / Autism Network (AANE), 1 May 2019, https://www.aane.org/aspergers-disorder-non-verbal-learning-disabilities-two-disorders-related/

“Asperger's or NVLD: Has Your Child Been Misdiagnosed?” My ASD Child, https://www.myaspergerschild.com/2014/11/aspergers-or-nvld-has-your-child-been.html

“Asperger's Syndrome: Symptoms, Tests, Diagnosis, and Treatment.” WebMD, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/mental-health-aspergers-syndrome.

Bethel, Stephannie. “Non-Verbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) and/or Autism?” Stephanie Bethany | Autistic Adult, Stephanie Bethany | Autistic Adult, 2 Apr. 2022, https://www.stephaniebethany.com/blog/non-verbal-learning-disorder-nvld-andor-autism

“Non-Verbal Learning Disorder.” Government of Alberta Personal Health Portal, https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=te7868.

“Nonverbal Learning Disorder vs Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Discover Seven Stars, 2 Dec. 2022, https://discoversevenstars.com/blog/nonverbal-learning-disorder-vs-autism-spectrum-disorder/#:~:text=Both disorders are associated with, learn better by hearing information

“Quick Facts on Non-Verbal Learning Disorder.” Child Mind Institute, 27 July 2021, https://childmind.org/article/quick-facts-on-non-verbal-learning-disorder-nld/

How You Can Help Your ASD Student

2023-02-21

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological disorder that is a result of differences in the brain. This may make it hard for someone with ASD to behave, communicate, and interact with others. As a result, students with ASD may have a difficult time concentrating during class, comprehending academic lessons, and even behaving. Some teachers, tutors, and parents may not know how to teach a child with autism, which could cause frustration, as they want to help their students achieve their maximum potential.

Here are some ways you could help your student:

Be aware of the characteristics of autism

This may include delayed language, cognitive, and learning skills, poorly developed social skills, restrictive or repetitive behaviors, and the inability to properly communicate. Being aware of these traits can help you remain patient and understanding while teaching your student with autism.

Get to know your student

Knowing your student’s likes, dislikes, needs, fears, and how often they need breaks can assist you in crafting an individualized learning plan for them. It will also allow the student to feel validated and cared for by their instructor.

Do an emotional check-in

Checking on how your student is feeling – happy, sad, anxious, frustrated, mad, confused – can help you gauge how to approach your lesson. Making sure you are aware of your student’s emotions will show you value them as individuals. On top of that, their ability to focus and learn is greatly impacted by their emotional state.

Reduce sensory overload

Sensory overload can happen from many things, like fluorescent lights, unexpected noises, or even loud music. When a child experiences sensory overload, they will find it hard to concentrate on the task at hand and even become frustrated. Ensuring you minimize the amount of distractions– making sure you are in a quiet space, using non-fluorescent lights, and more– will help your student feel less distracted and calmer during their lessons.

Use some ABA practices

Implementing some practices from Applied Behavior Analysis, such as incentives and rewards, will help your student with autism engage more throughout the session. Additionally, providing positive reinforcement, like affirmations, can help your student feel validated and motivated to keep learning.

Be clear and direct when giving instructions and feedback

Many students with ASD find it hard to understand nuanced or vague language, such as idioms or figurative language. To help them better understand what you want them to do, it is best you tell them in straightforward terms. The same applies to when you are giving feedback. For example, letting the student know they are “doing awesome” rather than telling them they are “on a roll” will help them understand they are mastering a subject.

Use Visuals

Having something your student can look at (i.e. a poster with rules, an incentive chart, etc.) can help them remember what they need to do with the task at hand.

Predictability

Students with autism prefer consistency in their routine because it calms their anxiety around uncertainty. By making sure you set a routine, you will ensure your student feels safe and is motivated to try their best. A routine could include practicing multiplication during the first ten minutes of class, or even making sure you read one story a day.

Give choices

Giving your students a set of choices (i.e. letting them pick between starting off with writing sentences or practicing their vowels) while still encouraging them to practice a skill set, helps them feel in control of the session because they get to navigate where it goes. It also lets them see that their decisions matter in how their education pans out.

Teaching social skills

A key characteristic of Autism Spectrum Disorder is a lack of social skills. Therefore, it is important to model to your students social skills that will benefit them throughout their academic and social lives. For example, you may practice establishing physical boundaries (i.e. no hugging during the lesson), teaching them how to say “please” and “thank you,” and also showing them how to express their emotions.

With these tips, your student will be able to begin thriving inside and outside the classroom.

My Child Was Diagnosed with a Learning Disability. What do I do?

2023-02-08

After the process of evaluation, you learned your child was diagnosed with a learning disability, such as dysgraphia, nonverbal learning disorder, or a specific reading comprehension deficit. While this may make you feel worried about your child’s future education, these tips can help you take strong approaches to the diagnosis:

Do research about the learning disability

This will help you know more about how and why symptoms arise, the best methods to treat it, and how to encourage your student. Some reliable sources to turn to are the Learning Disabilities of America and the National Center for Learning Disabilities. You may also visit your local library and check out books that discuss the specific learning disability. You can even ask your student’s teacher or psychologist for more resources and information.

Join a community of people with children who have the same disability

Joining a group of parents who all have children with the same disability will help you find more resources for your child. Having people you can talk to who will relate to your concerns will also provide a sense of validation. In addition, your child will get to make new friends who can help them feel more confident in their learning differences.

Be an advocate for your child

Advocacy can be done in several ways. It could be done by creating a social media page where you create posts about the disability. You can do a walk to support a charity for that disability. You could also make sure your student’s teachers and other superiors understand their learning disability, so they know how to interact with them. This will help your child understand you care about them and want them to succeed in any way possible.

Provide positive reinforcement

By providing your child with positive reinforcement, you are making sure they grow up with an optimistic attitude about their diagnosis, which will allow them to gain a strong sense of self-worth and respect for themselves. Positive reinforcement could look like allowing your child to make mistakes while they do their homework, giving them affirmations, or even giving them the opportunity to voice their confusions.

Provide your students with role models who also have the same disability

Showing your children the different ways people can succeed with their learning disability will keep them from feeling discouraged. For example, if your child has dyslexia, you can let them know people like Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg also were diagnosed with it. If they have a nonverbal learning disorder, you could watch a movie with Chris Rock, who was also diagnosed with it.

Be open to conversations about their mental health.

Sometimes, a student might feel frustrated, anxious, or depressed about not being on the same academic level as their peers. Being open to talking about your child’s emotions will let them feel supported. It will also let you come up with solutions, such as taking your child to therapy or setting aside self-care days, to make sure your child’s learning disability does not affect their mental health.

Find an extracurricular activity for your child

Enrolling your student in an extracurricular activity, such as sports or dancing, can make sure they are participating in some form of movement which will keep them healthy and energized, which will help them focus while doing schoolwork. In addition, it lets them build a relationship with children outside of school who will appreciate them for their differences.

While a learning disability diagnosis may be tough information to deal with at first, having methods to help you and your student process and contextualize it will help you move forward in the best possible direction.

Tips to Help Your Struggling Learner at Home

2023-01-02

A student may fall behind in school for many reasons. For example, they might have a physical disability that makes it hard for them to hear, see, sit in, or attend their lessons. They may also have a learning disability, such as dyslexia. Students might be diagnosed with behavioral, developmental, or neurological disorders like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Or, they simply are not being taught material in a way in which they can comprehend it.

Regardless of the reason behind their struggle, falling behind in school is a frustrating experience for both students and their guardians. When this happens, it is crucial for caretakers to take action at home, so their children can get to a place where they can succeed academically. However, many parents and/or guardians do not know what ways to begin assisting their students.

Here are some tips to begin helping your struggling learner:

Promote healthy habits: Including new and healthy habits into your student’s daily schedule–such as reducing screen time, getting to bed early, cooking nutritious meals, and drinking sufficient amounts of water–can kick-start their growth. This will give them more time and energy to focus on, prioritize, and accomplish their goals.
Stay updated in your child’s academic life: This can include taking some time to review what assignments they need to complete, talking about which subjects they are struggling with, taking an interest in what they are learning about in class, and checking their grades monthly. When you begin
to see where your child is struggling and make it a priority to help them, students will feel validated and will see you care about their educational growth.
Instill consistency with learning: Setting aside a consistent amount of time towards working on improving your student’s skill sets will help them see that continual practice will help them make progress in their learning. For example, you may make sure that every night, an hour before bed, your student practices their multiplication flashcards.
Play educational games with your child: Games will keep your child engaged and entertained while still improving their learning skills. Examples of games may include UNO to teach your student colors or Scrabble to help them remember words for their spelling test.
Tie in learning with their interests: Getting students to see how they can apply their academic lessons to their hobbies will make them motivated to master a certain subject. It also helps them retain information. This could be done in many ways: choreographing a dance to remember vocabulary, reading a football book, or even writing a story based on a historical event.
Provide your student with encouragement and affirmations: Kind words go a long way, especially for struggling learners. Reminding students you’re proud of them, acknowledging their accomplishments, or even verbally motivating them will make them feel supported and help them muster up the confidence they need to advance in their learning.
Implement tutoring: Having a tutor come in a few days a week to help your student will help them learn more strategies to approach their schoolwork. This is because tutors, especially those at Kidz Solutions, create their sessions to target the student’s specific academic needs. Our tutors use applied behavioral analysis and multisensory learning approaches to help students learn. Kidz Solutions also has four learning programs – Standard, Premium, All Access, and All Access ± that have individualized lessons to teach students at any level. Academic assessments are available to find where your student is and how we can help them. You may learn more about our programs here.

It may be difficult to see a child struggling, but with these tips, a student can begin to grow. These tips will help them flourish in the way they need to, so they can achieve their best potential!