The Author’s Advice for Parents of Kids with NLD or Asperger’s

Interview with Kathryn Stewart, author of Helping a Child with Nonverbal Learning Disorder or Asperger’s Disorder

Please define Asperger’s disorder, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, and neurocognitive disorder.

These are related terms, but describe different aspects of what are often seen as similar disorders, making it that much more confusing. To try and simplify, Asperger’s disorder, also known as Asperger’s syndrome, is a developmental disorder. That is, the child developed differently. In this case, the disorder part refers primarily to the processing of social information and the integration of sensory information (sounds, touch, taste, etc).

Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NLD) is a learning disability and can occur in children with Asperger's or without. Individuals with NLD also have social function deficits, specifically in the area of pragmatic language (social language), although they are quite verbally skilled. The issue is difficulty using language for communication.

And finally, neurocognitive disorder refers to the broad category of disorders Asperger’s disorder and NLD fall into, along with other disorders that effect executive function, organizational skills, social skills, and for some, sensory integration.

You mention in the book that you think children are being over-diagnosed with Asperger’s disorder. Why do you think this is happening? How can parents avoid a misdiagnosis?

I do think it is happening and maybe for more reasons than we can know. But one reason seems to be the complicated and information-overloaded society children are expected to function in. For many children, it may be that the demands are just too much at certain times in their lives, and what is really nothing more than shyness or reticence is seen as a social “disability.” We are all certainly more aware of the issues of Asperger’s disorder and NLD, and this may increase the likelihood of finding the disorder everywhere we look.

On the other hand, there are more and more of our kids with neurocognitive disorders out there. Why? That is up for debate, to be sure. But parents who suspect a real social, sensory, or organizational deficit need to have their child evaluated by an experienced psychologist or behavioral pediatrician. There are a number of clinics and clinicians that are well trained in diagnosing these disorders and can give parents accurate and helpful guidance.

Is Asperger’s disorder part of the autism spectrum of disorders?

For now, it is categorized as part of the autism spectrum. There is debate about this. Some of the confusion may be a result of the differing diagnostic standards being used, creating more and more confusion. Certainly, Asperger’s is not high-functioning autism.  I have heard that statement so many times and cringe wherever I hear it. If Asperger’s disorder is, in fact, part of the autism spectrum, it is not just autism in those with high IQs. A diagnosis of autism requires a language delay in early childhood, while a diagnosis of Asperger’s disorder requires no language delay in early childhood. This makes it impossible for these two disorders to be the same.

In the book, you mention that children with Asperger’s disorder and NLD have predictable clusters of strengths and weaknesses. What are some strengths? What are some weaknesses?

The strengths are most often vocabulary knowledge, verbal memory, verbal output, auditory perception, and verbal output. These kids also have areas of great interest and an excellent memory for the facts in their areas of interest.

The weaknesses generally are visual/spatial processing, motor skills (fine and gross motor), visual/motor integration, and visual memory. These are kids who often rely on things being predictable, kids who develop a rigid way of thinking.

You discuss in the book how children with Asperger’s disorder and NLD are often teased by their peers. Can you offer any advice to parents on helping their child cope with or respond to teasing?

At first, it is important to help your child understand what is happening and why. Are they contributing or putting themselves in harm’s way? An example is a child who keeps following others around and will not leave when they have asked her to. This child is not reading the social and the verbal cues of other children and is ripe to become a target of teasing.

If a child understands what teasing is and how to not set themselves up for it, but other children target them anyway, they need to learn to walk away and to tell someone immediately. Although it is tempting to want to teach them how to defend themselves, this will only work for those kids who can read social nuance and peer behavior to some degree. Without that skill, they are unlikely to be able to “win” such a confrontation and can end up in serious trouble. Finally, if a child cannot get away from teasing, change their setting. There is no need for anyone to be subjected to abuse, and all kids, our NLD and Asperger’s disorder kids included, deserve to be in a safe environment with people who like them.

While children with Asperger’s disorder and NLD frequently have trouble concentrating or paying attention, you point out in the book that not all of them have attention deficit disorder. What are some non-medical solutions parents can use to help their children maintain attention and concentration?

The use of the ALERT techniques developed by Williams and Shellenberger in 1994 can be a great help, and they’re simple.  Use of different seating, of sounds (iPods, mp3s), sour candy, and handheld “fidgets” are some of the techniques that can really help a child become better at paying attention. Sometimes something as simple as taking a short walk and drinking some water will do the trick. As children learn how to regulate their attention through these techniques and aides, they gain control over themselves and feel better about themselves.

What are some tips for parents who want to build their child’s self-esteem?

As mentioned, the more they know about their disorder and their strengths and the more they learn how to address their learning and social needs, the better they will feel about themselves. There is nothing fundamentally better about being “neurotypical,” and having Asperger’s disorder or NLD is nothing to be ashamed of.