Bridging the Gap: Raising a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder (Paperback)

~ (Author) "A many parents do, I thought my child was exceptional..." (more)
Key Phrases: nonverbal learning disorder, sensory strategies, social skills group, Miss Norman, Parenting the Child, Star Wars (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Author Rondalyn Varney Whitney, a pediatric occupational therapist, is the mother of Zac, a child who suffers from nonverbal learning disorder, or NLD. By definition, NLD is a neurological defect in children who are unable to recognize the nonverbal clues that make up 50 percent of communication. In Bridging the Gap, Whitney seamlessly weaves practical professional advice throughout the account of her passionate involvement with her son. She writes, "I believe that NLD, now thought to be as prevalent as dyslexia, is a difference and not a flaw." She also warns parents and teachers that kids with NLD are likely to be misdiagnosed as lazy or defiant, so she urges readers to consider both the strengths (high intelligence and advanced verbal skills and memory) and weaknesses (low visual, spatial, and motor skills and deficits in social communication) of these kids.

Whitney focuses on NLD as a unique learning style, rather than a disability, offering a brilliantly realized account of a day in the life of a child with NLD. Other chapters address specific problems, including finding the right school, telling your child about the diagnosis, teaching social skills, negotiating the maze of interventions, and caring for self and spouse. Each chapter balances vivid case examples with thoughtful strategies. This is an exceptional book--moving, hopeful, and grounded in the wisdom of a seasoned professional and the love of a mother for her unique child. --Barbara Mackoff

Product Description

Millions of children suffer from Nonverbal Learning Disorder, a neurological deficit that prevents them from understanding nonverbal cues like tone of voice and facial expression. Though they are exceptionally bright and extremely articulate, these children often have difficulty in social situations-and can become depressed, withdrawn, or anxious. In Bridging the Gap, Rondalyn Varney Whitney-a pediatric occupational therapist and the parent of a child with NLD-offers practical suggestions that will help parents put their child on the path to a happy, fulfilling life.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Perigee Trade; 1 edition (April 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399527559
• ISBN-13: 978-0399527555
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #492,368 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars My Son My Son Let Me Tell You About My Son, May 14, 2003

By A Customer

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.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE!, August 9, 2002

By	D. Desantis "djnj99" (Baldwin, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Boys are different than girls, June 8, 2005

By	S. Peresie "sanaent" (Buffalo NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.