Nonverbal learning disabilities - Sydney Cognitive Development Centre

Nonverbal Learning Disorders
Nonverbal Learning Disabilities (NLD) (described by
Rourke, 1988) are characterized primarily by
deficient performances in
visual-spatial-organizational abilities, complex
psychomotor and tactile-perceptual skills, and
problem solving abilities. Further deficits include
attentional deficits for visual or tactile information,
poor exploratory behaviour, and poor memory for
tactile, visual, complex, and novel material.
Academically there is an outstanding relative
deficiency in arithmetic compared to reading and
spelling. There are problems in social competence,
adapting to novel situations, and emotional
disturbances may arise. Neuropsychological assets
include simple motor skills, auditory perception,
learning of rote material, attention for simple verbal
material, and good rote memory for verbal material.

Rourke suggests that NLD emerges in children who
suffer from disordered functioning of systems within
the right hemisphere (from deterioration or
destruction of white matter), or from lack of access
to such system (eg., callosal agenesis).

The natural history of the NLD child involves moving
from apparent hyperactivity through normoactive
behaviour and then onto a hypoactive response
style. The infant generally does not explore the
world through vision or locomotion but relies upon
language. The eventual social outcome for the NLD
person may be withdrawal, isolation, and loneliness
(Rourke, 1988). There is a widening gap between
deficits and assets as the child grows.

Assessment & treatment
At the Sydney Cognitive Development Centre our
specialised neuropsychological assessment
involves the testing of all the deficits and assets
previously mentioned. We focus on strengths such
as verbal skills when designing an educational or
management program. Recommendations include
the assessment and management of academic and
adaptive deficits, as these contribute greatly to poor
quality of life. A highly structured environment with
one-to-one teaching is recommended when
possible. Children with NLD may have difficulties
generalizing information to different situations and
this is addressed in all forms of remedial training.