Eric R. Kandel, M.D., Nobel Prize Winner for Medicine in 2000, Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Senior Investigator in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Founding director of the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, Co-director of the Mind Brain Institute, and Director of the Kavli Institute of Brain Science.

Until the early 1940s, when Leo Kanner and Hans Asperger independently described the autistic disorder of childhood, the various learning and development disabilities of children were lumped together and often labeled as various forms of mental retardation. As a result of a family of insightful and rigorous analyses and longitudinal studies, a number of other developmental learning disabilities such as attention deficit disorder, fragile X disorder, and Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome have been identified. This excellent book by John Davis, a leader in reading disabilities, and Jessica Broitman, a pioneer in psychotherapy research, has accomplished this insightful task brilliantly for Non-Verbal Learning Disorders. They have brought together in a clear and well documented manner a vast amount of new information and given us the first systematic and coherent treatment of this relatively new disorder in the field of child psychology that affects 10% to 15% of all learning disabled students. This superb book, which covers diagnosis, biological and psychological mechanisms, and treatment is essential reading for parents, teachers, and therapists.

Davis and Broitman describe that the striking feature of this disorder is the great disparity in the early years between precocious language development and delays in motor development. Since approximately 65% of meaning is communicated by nonverbal cues such as tone of voice, facial expression, posture, and body language, there is a potential for significant difficulty in communication for the child who cannot decipher or interpret nonverbal behavior. Finally, these children are more at risk for psychiatric disorders like depression. In fact, the two most common disorders associated with NVLD are ADHD and depression.

Joseph Palombo, author of Nonverbal Learning Disorders: A clinical perspective.

This fact filled volume makes up for the neglect that nonverbal learning disorders, as a distinct disorder, has suffered in recent years. The work systematically and thoroughly reviews the disorders Disorder, and other areas of concern to neuropsychologists, school psychologists, and other professionals involved with children affected by the disorder. It makes a significant contribution to the current state of our knowledge about this poorly understood disorder.

Stephen Brock PhD, NCSP, LEP, Professor at California State University, Sacramento, author of several related books (http://www.csus.edu/indiv/b/brocks/)

Davis and Broitman provide an essential resource for the school psychologist interested in both theoretical and applied issues relevant to the identification and treatment of children with Non Verbal Learning Disorders (NVLD). Their approach is scholarly and makes the many (and complicated) issues relative to NVLD accessible to the busy educator. I am sure I will find this book to be helpful to me in my work as an educational psychologist.

The book emphasizes that it is essential to help the child and family understand that the child is not disabled. Like all children, they have strengths and weaknesses. Rather, whoever is involved with the child must focus on achieving a clarification of language concept, developing verbal reasoning, increased comprehension and writing output, improved social cognition, developing a sense of personal effectiveness, and protection from cognitive overload.

Michael J. Bader PhD, Psychoanalyst

I treat adults in psychotherapy. Several of them have children diagnosed (finally) with NVLD. Getting help was a nightmare for them for many years. Then I hooked them up with Drs. Davis and Broitman who finally brought calm, thoughtful sense into their lives and their relationship to their kids. Understanding this subtle, complex syndrome is half the battle. Doing something about it is another.

It has been both my direct experience with Davis and Broitman and the knowledge gained from this book that's made it crystal clear how under-diagnosed, under-treated, and misunderstood these kids tend to be. Their book finally corrects this problem. Of greatest interest to me is their recommendation that, of all the learning disabilities, NVLD really HAS to be treated by a team, that it's a collaborative enterprise involving people with different skill-sets. Putting them together is the problem. This book is the solution.

John Gualtieri PhD, psychologist

Davis and Broitman have made a significant contribution with the publication of Nonverbal Learning Disabilities in Children. As a psychologist, I can enthusiastically recommend it to colleagues and clients. For many of us, the term nonverbal learning disability has not been clearly defined or understood. This book is accessible. It clearly defines nonverbal learning disabilities and the problems encountered by those who struggle with them. The authors offer thoughtful and practical approaches to interventions. I found the discussion of co-occurring problems especially useful. They explain how anxiety and depression may result from nonverbal learning disabilities and how those with autism spectrum disorders may be further helped if nonverbal learning disabilities are considered. Whether working with children or adults, this book should be part of a mental health practitioner’s library.

Casi Kushel, MFT

As Eric R. Kandel, M.D. says in his review of this excellent book: "John Davis, a leader in reading disabilities and Jessica Broitman, a pioneer in psychotherapy research...have brought together in a clear and well-documented manner a vast amount of new information (on NVLD) and given us is the first systematic and coherent treatment of this relatively new disorder in the field of child psychology that affects 10% to 15% of all learning disabled students."

This superb book, which covers diagnosis, biological and psychological mechanism, and treatment should be essential reading for therapists, special education teachers and parents. One of the points which makes it an excellent resource for family therapists is emphasis on the importance of a team approach in helping the child with NVLD. Any member of the helping professions who work systemically with families, schools or community services would benefit from the new information and approach put forth by this book.

The authors present and examine recent theories which are emerging and sort through the available genetic, neurobiological, and environmental studies and describe the other disorders that often co-occur with NVLD. One of the most interesting research studies posits that the neuropsychological symptoms seen in NVLD children are due to deficits in subcortical white matter not grey as has been suggested previously. Davis and Broitman remind us that "NVLD should be considered a common pathway disorder." They also include a list of symptoms associated with Asperger's but not found in children with NVLD.

One of the most helpful chapters of the book offers step by step guidelines for creating an intervention plan which emphasizes the importance of utilizing children's strengths as well as guidance to overcome their deficits. There is also a very useful parent advocate's list. The most unusual and quite special piece of the book is an afterward by a college student living with NVLD. He shares a metaphor which he says is very applicable to the experience of someone with NVLD. Making a breakthrough in your personal struggle with NVLD is a lot like walking up a spiral staircase very slowly. It will feel like you are going around in circles, but what is actually are happening is that you are revisiting something from one level above where you were the last time the issue made itself known. Things feel repetitive and redundant, but ultimately small victories become large ones and you are doing things that you never thought possible.

This book is a remarkably thoughtful and complete look at every aspect of living and/or working with children with Nonverbal Learning Disabilities and their families. I especially appreciated the developmental orientation and specificity of treatment strategies presented by Broitman and Davis. They not only managed to parse an enormous amount of new research; they created a moving and detailed portrait of the experience of the child with NVLD. As a family therapist, I very much took heart from their conclusion that "children with NVLD can successfully learn and lead productive lives despite their particularly unusual set of strengths and difficulties." With the help of this book, their families and well educated practitioners, I am sure they can.