Question about nonverbal learning disorder

Page 1 of 1 [ 4 posts ] 

littlelily613
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Feb 2011
Age: 41
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,608
Location: Canada

20 Apr 2011, 6:21 pm

I am curious if anyone knows the answer to this:

Do children who are NOT autistic but have NVLD have a delay in speech. One psychologist wanted to give me a full psychoeducational evaluation to rule out NVLD. I was hyperlexic (reading novels at age 5), and I was speech delayed (didn't speak until after 2 1/2, quickly learned sentences, then regressed and lost all speech shortly after the age of 3. I had to relearn how to talk--with no other explanation as to why. I mean, no accidents, no concussions, no seizures, etc). Would these two things rule out NVLD?



daydreamer84
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jul 2009
Age: 40
Gender: Female
Posts: 5,001
Location: My own little world

20 Apr 2011, 6:50 pm

Well there is no official criteria for NVLD in the DSM (the system we use here). In the international diagnostic manual ICD-10 there is criteria. There is no mention of "no speech delay" in the criteria although books and literature on NVLD mention that these children often learn to speak early. I don;t think it would rule it out if you met the other criteria. Hyperlexia would definitely not rule it out! In fact people with NVLD tend to be precocious readers that have difficulty with comprehension.

Basically auditory and verbal abilities (as well as rote memory and attention to detail) are strong and spatial relations and understanding nonverbal social cues and certain motor skills are weak..............there can be tactile integration issues (sensory issues with touch). Social skills are often impaired in general (although impairment is more severe in AS) and there can be difficulty adapting to changes in routines and novel situation (hence the overlap with AS). VIQ>PIQ on intelligence tests and people usually do on the poorly block design and object assembly subtests (because they require visual/spatial abilities).

So basically the distinguishing features are visual/spatial impairment in NVLD and not AS....and repetitive behaviors in AS and not NVLD. If you have obsessive interests or if you stim then those symptoms could not be accounted for by NVLD. It is possible to have AS and NVLD the two are not mutually exclusive. I was diagnosed with both. So NVLD does not really "rule out" AS.



littlelily613
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 11 Feb 2011
Age: 41
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,608
Location: Canada

20 Apr 2011, 7:37 pm

Thank you for the in depth reply! No, I think it is quite possible to have AS and NVLD. I think where my issue arises is the language delay I had. I don't think that is consistent with NVLD, but I still don't know enough about it to be certain.



daydreamer84
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jul 2009
Age: 40
Gender: Female
Posts: 5,001
Location: My own little world

20 Apr 2011, 10:29 pm

You're welcome..................

they will probably give you an intelligence test (unless you've had one recently) and compare your scores on the sub-tests to see if you show a pattern consistent with NVLD (as described in the first post).