I've been diagnosed with NVLD:
(1) Motoric integration problems: Gross motor: clumsy, unbalanced walking leading to clinging behaviors, bumping in to things, fear of climbing, hesitant to explore physically, difficulty bike-riding,
uncoordinated at sports.
All these are true for me. I have had trouble in the past with bikeriding, but have gotten better. The same happened with sports. I don't usually bump into stuff, but sometimes. I have some unbalanced walking and I do have trouble with certain sports like gymnastics. Although I can play soccer (as I practiced for 9 years) and basketball and baseball okay.
Fine motor: using scissors, shoe tying (which she’ll talk herself through), poor handwriting using awkward and tight grip, finger agnosia.
Used to have much trouble with shoe tying and handwriting, but have gotten better. Handwriting still a bit messy though. Finger agnosia, yes. Had to have a gripper on my pencil for a long time...
(2) Visual-Spatial-Orientation integration problems, with inability to form visual images: Resultant focus on detail rather than the important gestalt. This is what I have most problems with.
Labels everything verbally, since that is the only—albeit not always accurate—way she can process the visual/spatial information. For example, she may find her way home by counting houses and labeling landmarks verbally.
This helps me a lot.
Unaware where she is in space, so unaware of where to place answers on the homework sheet, or how to navigate the school.
These elaborate “naming” strategies break down with changes in routine, leading to an inability to cope with change.
Um, yup. I have much trouble with this! But still working hard to better it!
(3) Social/communication problems: Trouble integrating non-verbal communication with verbal communication to achieve full social interaction.
The children do clearly appear to want social acceptance (vs. Asperger’s, where the children do not usually appear interested socially).
However, typically labeled as “annoying” because of their dependence on others, their constant speech, and their misinterpretation of social cues.
Very literal interpretation of others; concrete thinking; seeing the world in black and white; trouble understanding dishonesty; trouble seeing hidden meanings, prompting others to say “You know what I meant!”—when they didn’t.
Don’t read the social cues of give and take conversation, thus appearing self-centered, weird, or impolite.
Yup, this has happened to me quite often in my life. I have gotten a bit better at social cues, but still I find that people percieve me as annoying or selfish when I'M CLEARLY NOT THAT WAY!!
NVLD symptoms change through the lifespan:
Symptoms as toddlers: Uncoordinated (gross motor and fine motor).
Trouble with social interactions, non-verbal clues (such as a peer’s facial expression of “Enough is enough!”), and adjustments to change. They may appear “confused.”
Warning signal: You always have to tell the child, “I shouldn’t have to tell you that.” Obviously, with these kids, you do have to tell them. That’s how you know there is a problem.
Trouble with spatial orientation.
Yup. Had these problems.
As a young child: Often exceptional rote speech, memory, and reading skill, which the children use to compensate for lack of intuitive social interaction. The child tries to “remember” how to interact, rather than the skill coming automatically in each different situation.
These exceptional reading and “adult” pedantic speech patterns may be interpreted as preciousness.
Clumsy monologues replace typical to-and-fro conversations.
Yeah, did this too.
Older children: Academic problems in the later elementary years with organization, inferential reading, and written output.
Math facts better than concepts.
Typically PIQ<VIQ.
Sustains focus on details, does not attend to big picture.
A life of social blunders, without ever figuring out why.
May have secondary depression or anxiety.
Yes this happened to me too. Dealt with depression and anxiety before. Had to see a psychiatrist from when I was 7 to when I was 16...until he started praying for me because he found out I liked Harry Potter, whom he apparently thought was the devil or something.

My mom thought it was very unprofessional of him to pray for me in his office with me there over a thing like a book. I had mentioned I was excited for the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them book and he completely FLIPPED out! I decided that I wouldn't want to mention that to a doctor ever again.