Zoom Autism Magazine Issue 3 Spring 2015 | Page 21
“Contrary to its title, people with NonVerbal Learning Disorder (NVLD-ers)
are usually quite verbal.”
people who meet the diagnostic criteria for Asperger’s Syndrome also have NVLD. But could it
be the same condition?
NVLD Similar to Asperger’s
NVLD does present very similarly to Asperger’s
Syndrome, especially the female presentation
of Asperger’s. The current opinion is that NonVerbal Learning Disorder is not an Autistic Spectrum Condition; however, Non-Verbal Learning
Disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome are both
Pervasive Development Disorders and thus share
many similar characteristics. The traits of NVLD
are very close to the common female manifestations of Asperger’s Syndrome. People with
NVLD and Asperger’s both struggle to recognize
non-verbal clues and body language, including
facial expression and emotion. They both have
difficulties with eye contact and are very literal,
often missing the bigger picture. Both can be
socially awkward and can have difficulties making friends, especially within the same age group.
Both groups often have poor organization, handwriting, and difficulty with reading comprehen-
sion as well as sensory issues and poor motor
coordination.
How the Two Differ
There are, however, some differences between
Asperger’s Syndrome and NVLD. People with
Asperger’s tend to be visual learners. They may
have some academic difficulty, but this isn’t usually the case when it comes to math. People with
NVLD are verbal learners and can struggle with
math, mainly because they have visual spatial
issues. People with Asperger’s are more likely to
have special interests and engage in self-stimulatory behaviors known as stimming; although,
these are less pronounced in girls on the autistic
spectrum. NVLD-ers are less likely to have a
special interest or stim. The sex ratio of people
diagnosed with NVLD is 1:1, while the sex ratio
for people with Asperger’s is commonly thought
to be 16 boys to every one girl.
People with Non-Verbal Learning Disorder are
adept with language and verbal reasoning, meaning that a diagnosis often isn’t made until chilZoom Autism Through Many Lenses
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