robsiew Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 My 7y/o ds has not been officially diagnosed, but a friend gave me a book on NVLD and it fits my ds to a T. It's like this woman has known Rylan all his life! I will start the process for a diagnosis hopefully this month, but I'm just looking for anyone who has some experience with a child with this. I think I'm just looking for someone to talk to. Not only is my ds struggling with this, I am realizing my dh is also. This explains A LOT over the past 15 years of marriage!! :001_huh: At least now I know what I'm dealing with in both, but I would have to say I'm a bit overwhelmed! Any resources would be greatly appreciated. I want to study up so that when I am talking with the "professionals" I have a leg to stand on and can ask questions and make sure we are getting the best care we can. And an ear to listen would be even more helpful! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Hello, Robyn! My dd, 14, was diagnosed as an Aspie at age 8 and with NLD at 11 (they often overlap or are present together). The older books on NLD -- particularly Byron Rourke's, but also to some extent Sue Thompsons -- are much more depressing because they were dealing with a generation of kids who hadn't been diagnosed, had no interventions, and were really seriously falling apart by the time these people got to them. The more recent books take advantage of what kinds of therapies are known to be helpful for different aspects, what areas are likely to be problems at different ages, etc. A few of my favorites: Helping a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder or Asperger's Syndrome, by Kathryn Stewart. The author founded a school in northern California for older NLD kids -- horrendously expensive of course, but the web site is interesting too. http://www.orionacademy.org Among other things, the kids are required to work with dogs, training them and learning to understand their nonverbal body language. This led to my dd and I making a huge chart, when she was younger, of behaviors we observed in our dog, behaviors in her pet rats, and in people. It has also led to our prioritizing horseback riding lessons for dd. Nonverbal Learning Disorders at School, and Nonverbal Learning Disorders at Home, by Pamela Tanguay. NLD, by Rhondalyn Varney. The author is an occupational therapist, so she had a lot of tools at hand for working with her son. Raising NLD Superstars, by Marcia Rubenstein. If you have any specific questions or just want to chat about your son, I'd love do that -- PM me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessAriel Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 k! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsiew Posted December 31, 2010 Author Share Posted December 31, 2010 Thank you to both of you! I really appreciate the resources and support! If you don't mind... as things go on I'll PM you with questions! I'm going to try and get my hands on the resources mentioned as well as join the Yahoo group! Thanks again!:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
at the beach Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 My 11 yo daughter was diagnosed with NLD by the public school when she was still in school at the age of 6.My biggest issue for her is that it's very hard for her to make friends. Kids can be really mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 My biggest issue for her is that it's very hard for her to make friends. Kids can be really mean. This is so painful because she is a very social kid but socially awkward and vulnerable. This breaks my heart, because I know how painful it is to watch your child want so desperately to connect, to interact, to have friends... and just somehow not get it right, or be "different" enough that other kids back away. Your dd is eleven, which is approaching that age when the easier, looser friendships of elementary school begin to change: it's the Age of Great Conformity, and it's the hardest one of all for kids like ours. They're such wonderful children in so many ways; it hurts so much not to be able to give them friends who value them the way we do. Dd knows quite a number of girls of all ages, from little kids up to retired women, through horseback riding; but what she craves is a best friend her own age, who reads the things she does, likes the things she likes... and frankly, there aren't all that many kids out there who do. And like your dd, mine is sweet, innocent, vulnerable, at an age when that is the kiss of death. :grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
at the beach Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 This breaks my heart, because I know how painful it is to watch your child want so desperately to connect, to interact, to have friends... and just somehow not get it right, or be "different" enough that other kids back away. Your dd is eleven, which is approaching that age when the easier, looser friendships of elementary school begin to change: it's the Age of Great Conformity, and it's the hardest one of all for kids like ours. They're such wonderful children in so many ways; it hurts so much not to be able to give them friends who value them the way we do. Dd knows quite a number of girls of all ages, from little kids up to retired women, through horseback riding; but what she craves is a best friend her own age, who reads the things she does, likes the things she likes... and frankly, there aren't all that many kids out there who do. And like your dd, mine is sweet, innocent, vulnerable, at an age when that is the kiss of death. :grouphug::grouphug: It's so helpful to me to know there are others going through this, too. Thanks for sharing. :grouphug: It is very, very hard. I am just hoping that as she grows up she will find people who appreciate her. She also has two sisters, so that does help some but the one closest in age (14) is very different from my youngest so they are often like oil and water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robsiew Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Thanks for sharing, Ladies! My little guy is young yet (7 tomorrow!), so we are just starting to hit more social issues. He is VERY social as well, however just does not know how to "blend" in. He usually sits alone at Sunday school and just does his own thing. I'm not sure how he is at AWANA because I'm not there. That is a good place for him though because he is a wonderful memorizer. The hardest part socially for us right now is when my older two are called for bday parties or play dates. Or, we have people over for them. He SO wants to be involved, but it just doesn't work out for him. He's never been invited to a birthday party and I don't see that happening any time soon because he really doesn't have any friends. He really works best one on one with people so I'm trying to figure out for the life of me someone we could try to strike a friendship with. I have one little boy in mind that I'm hoping something will work out with. They have a common interest so I'm hoping they can build a friendship based on this. On the other hand, we go to the park and Rylan will seek out kids to play with and make "friends". When we leave the park he's always telling me about a friend he made (he always knows their name, whereas my other kids never really bother to ask!). Trouble is we never see them again... I am convinced that homeschooling is the best too. I think Rylan would be crushed at school. He is quite abrasive and socially clumsy, however he has a very tender heart and he is easily hurt. He feels things very deeply and is quite sensitive.... I'm really praying God will provide him with a couple good friends... I think that's all anyone really needs... Right now my biggest obstacle is finding him a place to be assessed. If you can believe it, we live in the same city as a major health institution and the intake woman wasn't even sure they would be able to see Rylan. I guess if they don't have a specialist they don't take a patient... go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest raven Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 its so sad cause your kids sound like they want the same thing i do also i think we'd get on great together but for all i know we live countrys away from each other and i've yet to meet another kid with NVLD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misty Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 My 8yr old is diagnosed with NVLD along with Asperger's.. I also believe my oldest daughter (13) is more NVLD than Aspie (or both?).. I have a very hard time differentiating between the two, to be honest.. They are so similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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