Camp Akeela

I read on another bloggers page about places children could go for autism, and was curious if there was something like this for children who had a nonverbal learning disability.  I did find Camp Akeela in Vermont where children who have been diagnosed with Asperger's or nonverbal learning disability can go to work on their social skills.  At this camp they work on building a community, friendship, growth, pride, and of course have fun.

Here is what they do for children with nonverbal learning disability at the camp.

"Treatment for children with nonverbal learning disability typically focuses on interventions to help kids better interact with others and become more self-sufficient. Activities and situations where kids receive social skills training, proper communication cues, and emotional support are most helpful.

This is why sending a child with non-verbal learning disability to a summer camp that understands NLD can be quite beneficial. The summer camp experience in and of itself is a social situation where social skill development and communication are important parts of daily life. A child or teenager at the right summer camp has a wonderful opportunity to learn and practice the social skills needed throughout his or her life.

The program at Camp Akeela is not therapeutic per se, but it offers a structured environment where life skills, friendship development, respect for the community, confidence and fun are encouraged by caring, knowledgeable experts and adults. Not all campers at Akeela have been diagnosed with non-verbal learning disability. The small nurturing community Camp Akeela provides benefits all children who wish to improve their social skills. To learn more about Camp Akeela's philosophy and program, click here." 

I find having camps like this very beneficial for children who do have a difficult time with their social skills, it gives them more than school to work with others and to improve in these skills.  

More Strategies for Parents and Teachers

I found a scholarly article on Nonverbal Learning Disability.  This article talks about how learning disability came about, and more in depth of what is considered to be a nonverbal learning disability.  There was a case study of a child who was misdiagnosed, and the family later came to find out her had a nonverbal learning disability.  In this article it mentions that NLD can often times be mistaken for many other disabilities.  I wonder how frustrating it would be to the parents if their child kept getting misdiagnosed for something other than what they truly have.  More in the article it goes into the definition of what NLD, the profile of a child with NLD, causes, and different options for interventions.  Something I'd like to focus on is the different strategies parents and teachers can do for a child who has a nonverbal learning disability.

General Strategies for Parents and Teachers

• Structured and supportive environment
• Make the child aware there is a person they can talk to about their disability
• Encourage Independence
• Use language to clarify questions or explain visuals
• Encourage interests and individual sports

Specific Strategies for the Teacher

• The classroom should not be too visually stimulating
• The child may need a scribe and assignment broken down into meaningful chunks
• When the child is able to keyboard allow them to use a laptop or word processor for note-taking
• Teach verbal mediation (self-talk) through modeling
• To enhance math ability use real life experiences, verbal explanation, and hands-on experiences
• For those who have poor attention may need frequent breaks
• Allow the child to have extra time or a buddy
• Give the child the opportunity to be a leader in a small group setting

I find that these strategies are extremely helpful, and makes you aware of how to help the child succeed in the classroom.  To read more about the article follow the link below.  

http://www.aboutourkids.org/files/articles/may_jun_4.pdf

Promoting Communication

I found a blogger named Kristyn Crow who’s an author for children’s books.  She wrote a blog called Promoting Communication in your Nonverbal Child.  The article gives great tips and techniques you can do during floor time to use with children who don’t speak.  First off, Floor Time is a 20-30 minute period of uninterrupted play time with the child where you literally get down on the ground and enter their world.  It has been suggested that several sessions per day, as many as you are reasonably able to have, is ideal.  Once a day is not enough.  When you begin floor time you want to build on the child’s favorite behaviors, let them select the activity no matter how strange it may be, have lots of activities for them to choose from, and follow their lead.  This is called parallel participation. 

After you’ve had time to parallel participate you want to promote interaction.  You can do that by: 1. Make meaningful behaviors purposeful. “Interactions are the beginning of communication”.  2. Use playful obstruction. 3. Play “dumb” While using these floor play techniques you should. 1. Recognize your child’s sighs of nonverbal communication. 2. Use animated facial expression. Put words with facial expressions.  3. Encourage eye contact. 4. Build a gestural vocabulary.  The blogger mentioned in her opinion it was necessary to use American Sign Language if they weren’t hard of hearing, but just natural gestures as long as you are consistent.  When using the gestures and expressions it’s important to communicate, model appropriate language using 2-3 word phrases.  She said when they have 30 communicative gestures they are ready to move toward speech.  5. Be sure you’re well aware of your child’s sensitivity profile. 6. Reward effective gestures or speech.

The blogger said that it’s going to take patience and determination, and the progress is going to be really slow.  I thought this blog was very informative, and I like the idea of floor time with the child and working on the communication with them.  The blog below if you would like to read it more in depth.

http://special-needs.families.com/blog/promoting-communication-in-your-non-verbal-child#

Social Implications

I found an article that mentions the social implications with children who have NLD.  While reading this article there was a lot of information I knew from previous research on the topic, but there were some things I was unaware of that I’d like to share.  Through my research I’ve found that when children have NLD, the problems usually start to develop in childhood but then it gets worsen with age.  Children who have NLD have a difficult time with interpersonal relationships and problem within social settings.  Something I didn’t know what NLD has been a newly-defined learning disorder.   In the article it states the “damaging aspects of the disorder is the fact that it causes the individual to be mostly incapable of recognizing nonverbal social cues.  The cues people rely on to tell them how to act in a given situation.”  This often times causes the child to be socially isolated during the teen and tween years.   I’d like to see if there is any kind of intervention to help these children during social situations, or to learn to cope with the social setting, and to develop friends.

Here’s the article I found if you’re interested in reading.

http://kathrynvercillo.hubpages.com/hub/The-Social-Implications-of-Non-Verbal-Learning-Disorder-NVLD

Teaching Strategies

Students with NLD are very concrete and literal, and have a difficult time understanding the world around them.  They are often eager to meet the expectations of others, but have a difficult time understanding what they expectations are and/ or how to meet them.  These students need very specific directions in order to function appropriately within a school setting.  Some tools teachers could use are rubrics and models to help demonstrate for the student what the performance expectation is.   The students with NLD, as I mentioned before, should be seated near the teacher with few distractions as possible.  The use of an FM system could be very beneficial that allows one-on-one communications from teacher to student.   It’s important to increase the amount of verbal instruction for this students, and “avoid anything that competes with the student’s ability to listen to classroom instruction”.  Sometimes this child may look like they are daydreaming, because of the lack of eye contact but a simple touch on the arm will assure the teacher they are focused on the instruction being given. 

“Frontloading is a critical teaching strategy, because it allows the NLD student to see the lesson in as much context as possible.  Without the use of frontloading teaching strategies that provide contextual information, the NLD students will likely be unable to learn more than discrete facts.  She needs to be taught how to make connections… how facts, events, and information relate to one another” (Tanguay, 2003).  Another effective teaching strategy would be cooperative learning if it’s done correctly.  This gives the child with NLD to use there strengths in the verbal/auditory modality and have discussions.  

"learning differently...outside the box."

I found a really informative website on NLD that I have previously blogged about.  This site gives examples of students who have NLD, characteristics, school wide support, and classroom strategies.  I really enjoyed the story about the little girl, Chris.  It goes to show how important it is for school personal to be educated in their student's disabilities, and the parents to be advocates for their child.  This was a success story where the school and family collaborated together to support the needs of Chris.  At first she seemed to struggle, but then eventually with the support from everyone she was able to become more successful at school.  I would encourage you to read this site below. :)

http://www.nldontario.org/articles/PuzzleNLD.html

School Environment

“Success or failure of most NLD children is based on the environment in which they are required to function” (Tanguay, 2003).  When raising a child who has a NLD and ideal environment would be home and school.  This isn’t the case for all children with a NLD, and it makes it hard for them to manage all the environments.  As a teacher who has a student with a NLD needs to make sure their classroom has a routine and is structured.  When the teacher needs to be absent from school it’s important to try to have the same substitute come in each time.   These will help the child with a NLD cope better in the school environment.  The child needs to be in a highly supportive environment, as well as have an aide at all times.   

When decorating the classroom it’s important to not have items and classroom hanging from the room to make it distracting for the child.  This could also cause frustration with them.  It would be a good idea to place this child in the front of the classroom if you wanted to place or hang items in the classroom they would be behind the child.  The front board needs to be cleared of anything that would cause a distraction.  When the students are asked to come to the carpet or join circle time it’s important this child sits next to the teacher or the aide in the classroom.  The arrangement of desk would be desk in rows even though this isn’t an ideal situation I would like in my own classroom.  The child’s desk shouldn’t be touching other desks this way they don’t feel like their space is being invaded. 

NLD Student Profile

My past blogs have been about NLD, and some of the parent’s roles or information parents should know.  I was able to get another book on NLD by the same author called Nonverbal Learning Disabilities at School by Pamela B. Tanguay.  As an educator it’s important to be aware of the NLD student profile.  Again, students usually are not diagnosed until the age of 8, but being aware of the NLD student profile could help get the child identified for evaluation.  “Intervention significantly increases the likelihood of a successful long-term prognosis for NLD children” (Tanguay, 2002).  The early the intervention is the better long-term prognosis.

From the text it states “The NLD child is a polite, rule-driven, and serious student who has difficulty with change, is often confused, easily overwhelmed, frequently tired, and may have somatic complaints such as a headache or upset stomach.  They are physically awkward, bumps into things, and gets lost easily” (Tanguay, 2002).   A child with NLD in reading will have a hard time differentiating between relevant and irrelevant facts, but they may have great decoding skills as well as an excellent rote memory.  Math may come easily, but when dealing with operations could present challenges.  The child’s penmanship and other fine motor tasks are impaired.  Lastly, “for those unfamiliar with NLD, the young child might appear to meet the criteria for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), however the tow disorders are quite different.  The physically awkward, anxious NLD child who has difficulty managing change is quite different from the physically adept, social AD/HD child who thrives on novelty” (Tanguay, 2002). 

I find it quite interesting that these items that present to be a child with NLD could be mistaken for a child who has AD/HD.  I wonder how many teachers look past these signs, and think it’s something else or the child is just having a difficult time with some areas in school.  These signs are so subtle to me, that if I was a teacher and had I child like this I don’t know if I would be able to pick up on the signs or even begin to think that the child may have a NLD.  

Stress and Coping with NLD

Sometimes as parents it’s easy to become immersed in the needs of the child who has NLD, but it’s important to remember to take time to spend with each of the children as well as your spouse.  This doesn’t necessarily mean each child and spouse will get equal amount of time, but as long as you are doing something the children enjoy.  Not only should you spend time with other family members, but there needs to be a time to yourself so you are able to “recharge your batteries”.   Three important items you need to maintain as a parent is health, perspective, and attitude.  Without these it will be harder to meet the needs of the child with NLD.  There are often times external pressures such as other telling you you’re being over protective with the child, and telling you how to raise your child.  It can be hard to not fall into the temptation of others, but it’s important to remember you’re the parent and you know what’s best for your child.  When raising a child with NLD, or any other disability, there are going to be stress in the family life.  When there is a crisis it’s extremely valuable and recommended to have a support system where you or someone in the family can go to and talk and work through the stress. 

Children with NLD thrive on routine and predictability, and deal with change horribly.  These children in order to cope with change need preparation and lots of information.  “You’ll need to let them now well ahead of time what the change or event will be, exactly when it will occur, the duration, and what will happen in detail” (Tanguay, 2001).  It’s important to talk to the child with NLD about their concerns and all else don’t try and change them but love what makes them unique. 

I know I have been focusing most of my topics and research on children with NLD, but I did find a youtube video on a lady name Laura Paxton who has NLD.  She created an acronym OCTOPUS- Organization, Coping Strategies, Transportation, Order, Perspective, Understanding, and Simplify.  Laura briefly talks about what she does in each of these categories.  I find this video informational and helpful to someone who has NLD or wants to know about NLD.  Below is a link to the video if you would like to view. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IvJotOM-Yo

Parent's Role

As a parent you will have one of many hats to wear with a child who is nonverbal.  Some of the hats you will have are first parent, but also facilitator, translator, tutor, and coach.  Parents will have the pivotal role in their child’s development.  The child will need direct instruction on all aspects of life, which is taught from the home.  What is different about a child who has NLD is it takes them a little longer to learn, and the instructions need to be step-by-step.  When teaching a child it is important to remember not to do everything for them, because this could create a condition called ‘learned helplessness’ (where caregivers do so much for their child they are helpless and can’t do anything for themselves.) When the child is young the parent needs to be supportive and give assistance when needed, but as they grow older gradually withdraw assistance as the child masters the tasks they are learning.  It is extremely important for a child who has NLD to go through some sort of intervention whether that’s being done at home through a parent or the child is seeing an Occupational Therapist (OT).  Consistency is key when dealing with these children, as it will be more likely the child will master the skill being taught.     This information was taken from Nonverbal Learning Disabilities at Home: A Parent’s Guide by Pamela B. Tanguay. 

Something else I would like to share briefly from the text is how children who have NLD depend on words alone.  They want you to say what you mean, and mean what you say.   I found this next part quite interesting.  “Words alone comprise a mere 35%, or less, of communication. The remaining 65%, or more, is nonverbal, such as facial expression, tone of voice, body language etc.  Words are actually a secondary, rather than a primary form of communication.  Therefore, the NLD child often misses the majority of the intended message in social interaction” (Tanguay, 2001).  This shows parents really need to be a translator for their child, and make sure they understand boy verbal and nonverbal language.  It amazing me that only 35% of conversation is comprised of words, and we rely on nonverbal cues to get across our meaning.

Next blog I would like to talk about the stress factors and now families cope with the change.  

Warning Signs

There are some warning signs in children who have NLD, but often children are not diagnosed until 8 years of age.  Some things you might see with an infant or toddler who has NLD are they may have the hiccups, do not sleep well, are fussy, and as a toddler is not the terror of the neighborhood.  If my child did these things I would not think much about it, let alone think my child has a nonverbal learning disability.  Many of the early warning signs for children with NLD are subtle.  If a parent is concern with the way their child is developing you can take them to a pediatrician, and there are also pediatricians who specialize in developmental disabilities.   I have been continuing the Nonverbal Learning Disabilities at Home: A Parent’s Guide by Pamela B. Tanguay.  It has been a very easy read and informative text on children with NLD.  Most of the early warning signs I read about from this book, but I also found a site that talks a little bit about the signs. 

http://www.learningrx.com/nonverbal-learning-disability-symptoms-faq.htm

More About NLD

NLD is not a “cookie cutter” disability.  It differs between each person, and does not stay the same from childhood to adulthood. Text on NLD is not to cure it by any means, but to simplify the description of the difficulties faced by individuals with the disorder, illustrate how it may present in everyday activities, and outline strategies which could be beneficial.  Much to my surprised I was fascinated to read children with NLD not always are nonverbal, but can actually talk and something talk your ear off.  This disability affects multiple domains, and children have trouble both academically and in life skills. 

I started reading Nonverbal Learning Disabilities at Home: A Parent’s Guide, and the beginning chapter’s mentions more about what NLD is.  As I mentioned above those who have NLD differs between each person.  In the text it lists some strength and weaknesses people with NLD have.  Some of primary strengths of children with NLD are they are auditory and verbal.  The children usually have a more sophisticated vocabulary than of their peers, and they have great attention and memory of what they hear.  Some of the weaknesses are their social skills.   Much of their physical coordination is awkward, they do not like change in their routine, and unless questions are direct and to the point they are often confused on how to respond.

I’ve had a misconception of what the term NLD meant, because of the student in my classroom who is considered nonverbal.   He can only speak about five words, so when I thought about a child being nonverbal I wouldn’t have thought the child to be able to speak much.  I’m not sure if it makes a difference between this child has Down Syndrome as well.  I wonder how many cases where there are children who do speak a lot, and then they are children who can only say a few words like the boy who was at my placement.  Next blog I would like to talk about what causes NLD and interventions.  

Communicating

I find it extremely interesting the different tools that are used to speak with children who are nonverbal.   As we all know, no two children are the same, and it goes the same with finding the right tool to communicate with a child who is nonverbal.  Children have different ways of expressing themselves, and it may take some time to find the correct tool that works for you and the child. 

The site listed below is an organization to help educate or inform parents/educators or any one of interesting on the topic of children who are nonverbal.   It gives some background knowledge on Learning Disabilities, and effective communication techniques.  Some of the communication tools listed on the site are: The Picture Exchange Communication System and other graphic symbols, Voice Output Communication Aids, Intensive Interaction, Total Communication Approach, and Makaton.  Not only does it give you these tools, but it explains what they are.  Towards the end of the page it gives parents advice, and then other organization they can go to in need of more information. 

http://www.cerebra.org.uk/ENGLISH/GETINFORMATION/DAILYLIVING/Pages/Communicatingwithnon-verbalchildren.aspx

I found this site really resourceful on different ways you are able to communicate with your child.   I also thought it was beneficial to have all the other organization listed before for more references.  I hope to cover more on how the parents deal with and communicate with their child who is nonverbal at home and in the school setting.  I found a book all Nonverbal Learning Disabilities at Home: A Parent’s Guide by Pamela B. Thanguay.  I plan to read this and hopefully get more insight on the situation and blog about it next time.  

Communicating with Children who are Nonverbal

As I mentioned before there was a boy in my internship experience who was nonverbal.  Some of the ways the aide communicated with him was verbally telling them what to do, using some sign language, and then they recently were able to get an ipad so he would be able to express what he wanted.  When he wanted something he would grunt and then point to what it was.  He was able to say a few words such as yes, no, his name, and then bye.  The aide also relied on some of this body language to understand what he was feeling or what he wanted.  Seeing the different ways they were able to communicate with one another made me wonder how parents were able to communicate with their child who was nonverbal. 

I found two sites where parents mention how they were able to talk with their child who was nonverbal.  In both of these cases the children were also autistic.  http://www.comeunity.com/disability/autism/autismnonverbal.html

http://www.howtodothings.com/health-fitness/how-to-communicate-with-a-non-verbal-child

Much of what I have seen with the aide and the child in the classroom, parents do just about the same thing at least in these two examples.   I really like the idea of teaching your child who is nonverbal how to use sign language.   This would require the parents and siblings to learn sign language as well.   I feel this could eliminate some of the frustration the child feels when they are not able to express themselves verbally. 

Non-Verbal Learning Disability

During my internship experience their was one boy in the classroom who had down syndrome and was also non-verbal.  It was interesting for me to see how the aide communicated with this boy, and how the boy was able to communicate back.  This made me think about children who are non-verbal, and how families go through these challenges when raising their child.  Throughout my research I will be looking into effective methods for the healthy development of children who are non-verbal with consideration to the family unit.

In order to really understand what it is to be non-verbal I looked into this site: http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/nld.htm      

The site mentions what it is to have a non-verbal learning disability (NLD), signs for a NLD, tips for parents, and helping children with NLD develop social skills. It is quite informative.  Something I learned through this site is children with NLD their biggest problem is their social skills.  Also,  NLD is like Asperger Syndrome.  I wonder if children who are non-verbal are usually linked with having another disability?