A child with NVLD may have trouble with social skills, motor skills, seeing the “big picture”, and interpreting visual information like pictures, maps, and charts.

NVLD is a lifelong condition, and there is no “cure” for it.  Even though NVLD can look like ADHD, medications like Adderall and Ritalin are not likely to help children with NVLD. However, children with NVLD can lead full, happy, successful lives with the help of certain accommodations and therapies.

If you suspect that your child has NVLD and you attend a public school, a good place to start may be to request that the school evaluate your child for learning disabilities. The school will be legally required to evaluate your child within 60 days. If a disability is found, the school is required to offer your child assistance and accommodations such as the ones named below.

Accommodations for children with NVLD

Accommodations for NLVD in the classroom can help your child focus, break down tasks into manageable chunks, form peer relationships,and work around visual and spatial deficits. 

Verywell Health names the following examples of accommodations:

  • Time-management tools such as digital timers and alarms, visual timers, and timeline tools for organizing projects or daily schedules
  • Verbal and written instructions for anything from cubby organization to appropriate lunchroom behavior
  • Math supports such as worksheets with only one or two problems, consistent representation of equations, examples for how to solve problems, and (when appropriate) hands-on and/or digital manipulatives
  • Social activity supports including social stories (short stories with real-life photos designed to teach social skills and appropriate behaviors), lunch bunch programs, or other opportunities to develop social skills in a safe environment
  • Extra time to complete exams or homework in math and related disciplines

Therapies for children with NVLD

Different kinds of therapy can also help your child build the skills they need to navigate life with NVLD.

  • Cognitive therapy such as dialectic behavioral therapy can help your child develop impulse control, manage strong emotions, and build confidence. 
  • Occupational therapy can help build the fine motor skills needed for tasks like writing and tying shoelaces.
  • Physical therapy can help build gross motor skills and improve “clumsiness” associated with NVLD
  • Social skills therapy can help build social communication and collaboration skills