Customer Reviews

Bridging the Gap: Raising a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder

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What a frustrating book! The author spent a tremendous amount of energy learning all she could about NLD (Nonverbal Learning Disability) because her son had it. She became a tireless advocate for him, and now she does Occupational Therapy with other children who have the disability. But from reading the book you would never tell she met anyone else with NLD besides her own kid. Like Whitney, I've done the same research as her, I've talked to the experts, I've tried the different therapies, I've attended the conferences. But, in the words of a presenter at this year's NLDA Symposium: "If you've seen one child with NLD... you've seen one child with NLD." Whitney has not learned this important lesson. To her, NLD begins and ends with her son's symptoms.

Over and over I'd read comments such as "NLD children are..." and a term that did not apply to my child at all. And I know other NLD children; we parents naturally seek each other out and pool our information. Whitney's conclusions didn't apply to all of these children either.

The book is structured with each chapter opening with a short vignette about My Son My Son Have I Gone Another Page Without Mentioning Him Well Here He Is Again! From there I would grit my teeth and then read some mostly useful information. The list of resources at the end was terrific. But I can't recommend this book as highly as some of the others in the NLD Canon, because of the High Annoyance Factor another reviewer mentions (I agree). Yet the Error of Sweeping Conclusions is a far more fatal flaw.

What I find particularly interesting is that I picked up an early draft of this book with a different title, and saw the same vignettes with the identity of MY SON MY SON disguised! These generic tales were far easier to take, but having read both books it was clear who Whitney was most interested in observing, and seeing which unpleasant events about him made the cut to the published book. I wonder if this book could stand on its own without the irritating elegies to Zac; almost half the book would disappear. Yet I asked my child's teacher to read it because the descriptions of him so perfectly captured another child at our school. (But not all the OTHER children we know about with NLD, and that's the problem!)

If you want to read about a mother's love for her troubled son, dig on in. If you want to get a sense of what you will be up against in trying to get services for your NLD child, check it out. If you enjoy vivid descriptions coupled with excellent observations of one particular individual, enjoy! But if you need help for YOUR child, be forewarned: this is not the first book to read, and it should not be the last one either. I'd recommend the original and best, Sue Thompson's "The Source for Nonverbal Learning Disabilities" if you read only one book.

This book is a must have for all parents who have a child with a nonverbal learning disorder. It should be the first book you purchase. It explains in a very clear cut manner what this disability is all about. There are excellent resources in the back of the book for further research and a glossary which explains the terms used regarding this disorder. I had never heard of this disorder before until my daughter was diagnoised with it. It began to help me make sense of the symptoms I was seeing but didnot understand. This book should be bought for any child who has a learning disorder. There is a chapter about
what you child is entitled to within the educational system for the learning disabled, how to go about getting it and what you can do if they don't give it to you. It's invaluable. I was very fortunate to have read this book first and over the summer when my child was not in school. If I had not, I would have walked into that school and trusted them with doing what was best for my child. If you have ever dealt with trying to get special services for your child, you will know it's not an easy task in most schools. After reading this book, you will become very well-versed on the terms that will be used, what your rights are, and you will be able to decide what is needed for your child. No one will serve your child's needs better than you.

I have read many books on NLD. As I read these books and heard about studious students and perfectionists, I said that is not my son.

This book was a real eye opener. It told how a BOY would react if the proper accomodations were not in place. From the reading I have done and the experience I have had they do seem to react differently.

Every parent should read this book if they have a child with NLD and their child is being called a behavioral problem. This book was a sanity saver.

A wonderful, enlightening book about NLD. This book is well written with concrete examples of symptoms of NLD and strategies to help parents and teachers with the NLD child. It made me laugh and cry, but mostly it made me hopeful for my son's future.

When my son was in third grade, we were told by the teacher that he doesn't pay attention, is passive-resistive, slow to get started, unable to follow complex directions and having difficulty with math. She suggested he might have ADD. A pediatric neurologist looked at a questionnaire the teacher had filled out and said my son had ADD and Ritalin would probably help. We asked what our other options were and he told us that we could go to see an "Educational Therapist" who would perform a battery of tests to determine if there was a learning disability. Though the school psychologist said he had symptoms of a child with NLD we have been battling with the school ever since (he's now in 6th grade) to get him help. With the help of an extraordinary OT my son is doing great.

The resources and strategies presented in this book are a must-read for every parent who is struggling to help their child succeed in school and in life.

I think this book is accessible, great in providing narratives that are easy to read for parents/teachers, but, doesn't give much specific help in developing an IEP plan for an NLD child. That section needs a rewrite.

Ms. Whitney has written the most compassionate, educational and resourceful book on the world of NLD children. She uses many examples of her son's behavior to illustrate the frustrations and learning opportunities for those of us who also have NLD children. She has the tools of her profession to help her but explains very easily how we as parents can support and intervene on behalf of our children. Her energy and dedication is enormous, but I would be concerned about her expectation that the world needs to accomodate these children in every facet of life. We won't be able to run interference for our children everywhere they go in life. That is not realistic to expect and we need to make sure our children are their own best advocates. A must read for all parents of NLD children.

I found this book had some good information in it but do not feel it is a "must read" for an NLD parent. If you have an NLD child with SID or a significant amount of Sensory Issues, this can be a valuabe book to read.
I was irritated throughout reading this book by the way the author uplifts her son to this "overly high" status. It annoyed me how she kept saying how terrific he was, like he did not have a flaw in the world. Her son is labeled as "gifted" along with having NLD and from reading the book, he does sound extremely bright. But the author refers to this throughout the book, as if that is all that defines him. As a parent of an NLD child, I think I can understand why the author did this. Our kids are usually looked down upon so much and she probably wanted others to see her son in a good light.(this is just my assumption on this topic right or wrong) I just know if I were to meet a parent that talked about their child this way; there would be no way the child could meet the expectations of how perfect he was.

Bridging the Gap was a light at the end of a tunnel for me as a parent of a child recently diagnosed with NLD. Ms. Whitney paints a realistic but hopeful picture of the difficulties and gifts of raising kids with this very common yet misunderstood disorder, through the insight both personally and professionally that she offers. She writes proudly and candidly about her son Zachary and the highs and lows of her very personal journey through the amazing web of understanding NLD. This book saved my soul and it touched me in ways I never dreamed possible. You'll laugh through your tears and leave it with understanding and empowerment. A must read for parents.

At various times in my life, I have been described as autistic, Elective mutism with autistic features (high-functioning autism did not exist when I was a child), Asperger's, and Non-Verbal Learning Disorder. Obviously, if one person can have all of these diagnoses, there is rather more crossover than the author is willing to admit, though my case is complicated by a traumatic brain injury which flipped my IQ scores when I was 8 (prior to 8, higher performance, after 8, higher verbal). "Coincidentally", it is after the head injury that I started being able to construct sentences on my own, instead of using delayed echolalia and reading off of a page. And Klin & Volkmar's research suggests that some 70% of children diagnosed Asperger's also meet the criteria for NLD. They have even suggested that the higher performance IQ be a criteria for HFA, and the higher verbal IQ be a criteria for Asperger's!
Apparently unlike the author, I know a lot of people on the autism spectrum and with Asperger's Syndrome (I help run a support group for adults on the spectrum, and work as a habilitative and respite care provider as well). NOT ALL OF US ARE VISUAL LEARNERS. I know several talented musicians who are decidedly on the autistic side who are auditory learners, and at least 2 people who are autistic who can pick up foreign languages like other people pick up hobbies (I'm not that good, but I read French, German, Dutch, Spanish, and Arabic, and speak Arabic and French semi-fluently).

The local Autism/Aspie support group accepts people with all of these diagnoses (as well as Right Hemisphere Learning Disorder), because the social disabilities are similar. And I know at least one person diagnosed NLD as a child who is definitely more of an Aspie!

DSI (Sensory Integration Dsyfunction) is common to all of these disorders as well. If your child is diagnosed with NLD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or Right Hemisphere Learning Disorder, and does NOT have DSI, they probably have the wrong diagnosis. It is entirely possible to have a verbal IQ that is two standard deviations higher than a performance IQ, and not have a significant level of DSI or social disability, the two other major qualifiers for a diagnosis of NLD.

A lot of what was in the book was simply good advice for anyone with a special needs child. I currently have it out on loan to a parent whose son is diagnosed Autism, high-functioning.

And for anyone with a child with any of these diagnoses, the key to a succesful education is SOCIALIZATION. Push your child to learn as many social skills as young as possible, but do try not to overload him or her. I agree with the author that more than two therapies or a therapy and an aferschool activity per week is going to simply be overwhelming for most of us.

This is a wonderful book for the parents of children just DX with Nonverbal Learning Disorder. It gives a clear and easy understanding of NLD. It is based on personal experiences also that are very helpful. The author helps you understand your own feelings and that of your child. It offered idea's on how to deal with the school system. Its a must read.