Why I'm Starting an Organization for Adults With Nonverbal Learning Disabilities

I am a young woman with a nonverbal learning disability, which simply means I have issues with nonverbal communication and impaired spatial ability. I have met other individuals with NLD by joining groups for individuals and parents of individuals with NLD. I have worked at a nonprofit devoted to assisting people with Turner syndrome, a chromosomal abnormality with one of the underlying issues being that girls with the condition often have NLD.

Three years ago, I decided to establish a new initiative called the NLD Exchange that shares resources, advice, new research, and personal perspectives into life with this learning disability and any comorbid issues. My end goal for the NLD Exchange is to formally establish it as a nonprofit organization. I feel that this will serve a need that has been left unfulfilled. While other organizations do exist to help people like me, there is only one other organization that specifically assists individuals with NLD.

I would especially like to see more resources for young adults and older adults with this learning disability. Unfortunately there is a scarcity of information out there for those who are beyond school age, and I would like my initiative to advocate for further research.

Greater visibility is crucial for NLD as many do not fully understand it or even know it exists. My desire for the NLD Exchange is to be a catalyst for change in this regard. Hopefully this can all come to fruition and I can really put some good in the world by establishing the NLD Exchange as a nonprofit. To see what I’ve created so far, you can visit my Facebook page.