When we talk about a non-verbal child we understand that it can be a child who makes sounds, even says a few minimal words, but in whom the functionality of his language does not exist , that is, he does not use speech to communicate .
We can even say that the "language" used , in terms of the use of words to demand, communicate, ask for attention, answer questions or have a conversation, is not spontaneous and much less social .
This can be due to a range of reasons, including, but not limited to, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), developmental language disorder, intellectual disabilities, hearing problems, childhood apraxia of speech or any other condition that affects the ability to produce spoken language.
However, the disorder itself is just the tip of a large iceberg. If we delve deeper we can find a much more complex reality that can include problems with sensory integration , communication and, finally, emotional health.
We know that sensory aspects affect communication, but also the behavior, attention and perception of the world that the non-verbal child has. Obviously, this situation affects the emotions of the child and his environment.
That said, I want to emphasize that the fact that there is a cause that affects speech and language , whether it is non-verbal autism or any other language disorder, does not mean that the child cannot communicate or has nothing to say. . These children may use other means of communication, such as gestures, signs, the use of assisted communication devices, or image-based communication systems, to express their needs, wants, and thoughts.
Early intervention and appropriate support are critical to helping non-verbal children develop their communication skills to their full potential .
(Alonso Puig, M.)
What characteristics does a non-verbal child have?
Generalmente, nos encontramos con niños que no solo tienen dificultades verbales, sino también de contacto ocular, de motivación para hacer las cosas, intereses restringidos y ausencia de atención. También sabemos que cuesta mucho que aparezca el juego simbólico, es decir, imaginar o simular la situación de un juego, como puede ser dar de comer a un peluche o poner a dormir a una muñeca.
Podemos observar también la presencia de estereotipias: movimientos, posturas o voces repetitivas o ritualizadas sin un fin determinado. Van desde los movimientos más simples hasta los más complejos: el balanceo del cuerpo, aleteos, aplausos, frotar manos, dar saltitos, caminar de puntillas, caminar siguiendo un patrón, girar objetos…
It may be that your children have one or more of these characteristics. These signs tell us that we have to act quickly because early attention is what will give us success in the future, helping our children as soon as possible.
The five dimensions of non-verbal learning disorder
Children with non-verbal learning disorder (NVLD) usually face challenges in five key areas, although every child is unique, which means they will not necessarily have difficulties in all of them.
1. Visual and spatial skills
Children with NVLD may have difficulty understanding and interpreting visual images. A clear example is when they try to copy three-dimensional shapes, such as a cube, and end up with very distorted drawings.
This is due to their limited ability to perceive and understand shape, components, and the spatial relationship between them, which may also be reflected in apparent physical clumsiness due to their difficulty processing and evaluating spatial information from their environment .
2. Understanding complex concepts
Another common area of difficulty for nonverbal children with language disorders is difficulty identifying the main idea of a text or situation , identifying relevant details, and understanding the connections between them.
Children with NVLD may struggle with reading comprehension and telling stories coherently. When taking notes, they can feel overwhelmed because they cannot tell key information from secondary details, which leads to incomplete or incorrect notes, or to collecting too much irrelevant information.
3. Social communication
Interpreting facial and body language cues also presents a challenge for most non-verbal children, complicating their participation in social interactions.
They don't automatically pick up on social norms like other children do, and this can lead to confusion about how to act appropriately in various situations . Their preference for technology is due to the absence of the need to interpret these non-verbal signals in digital environments.
4. Mathematical concepts
Although they may initially show ability to memorize mathematical facts, over time they face obstacles when approaching mathematical problems that require a level of abstract thinking to solve.
It is common for non-verbal children to have difficulty processing and manipulating abstract information , making it difficult to understand mathematical concepts.
5. Executive functions
Most nonverbal children lack the skills necessary to organize their own thinking, plan, solve problems, or carry out planned actions.
For example, they have difficulty breaking down and dividing a task into smaller, more manageable actions or planning the steps necessary to complete a task.
They typically need explicit support to develop a step-by-step approach to problem-solving and managing complex tasks.
Family and work in natural context in the non-verbal child
Family is not something important, it is everything
In non-verbal children, family formation is the first step, even before working with the child. By empowering the family with specific knowledge, we increase their level of confidence and, therefore, their anxiety is reduced, achieving a very positive and encouraging change in attitude.
En este sentido, el enfoque en el cambio parte de un trabajo en contextos naturales con una involucración plena de la familia, de los equipos de terapia, del entorno escolar y, en suma, de todo lo que rodea la vida del niño.
Working in natural contexts and training the family allows us to extend the work with the child throughout the entire time and to work on situations where they occur. We can work on a situation in the laboratory a thousand times until we achieve it, but when we are going to carry it out in a natural context we are not able to replicate what worked so well in a controlled environment. Or simply, there were factors that we did not consider before.
The greatest challenge in intervention in non-verbal children is being able to evolve to adapt to each natural context. There are no magic formulas, there is passion, enthusiasm, creativity, affection, a lot of study and, above all, always believing in the ability of these children. And believing in something usually makes it possible.
Esto no significa que la familia sea “El terapeuta del niño no verbal”, sino que tiene bastantes conocimientos como para poder afrontar adecuadamente las situaciones del día a día y que la interacción con los profesionales será siempre más rica y fluida.
Esta formación de la familia es algo que fomentamos desde nuestras raíces en el Método VICON. El comienzo de cualquier Programa de Intervención se basa en las actividades de la vida diaria, enfocado a dar autonomía al niño. Fortalecer la independencia del niño y su capacidad en el desempeño del día a día son nuestro primer objetivo y deberían ser también el de las familias. Esta independencia debe darse tanto en actividades básicas con en instrumentales, educativas, de juego, de gestión del tiempo o de interacción social. Estas son las que aumentan la confianza en el niño y empujan su desarrollo global. Para ello, se diseña un programa para aumentar la comunicación funcional del niño que consta de 3 puntos:
That the child effectively understands what is expected of him
Playing is not a break from learning, it is endless, charming, deep, attractive and practical learning because it is the door to the child's heart (Gowmon, V.)
Todas las propuestas para estimular el lenguaje en el niño no verbal que encontraréis en los sucesivos posts del blog, quiero que os las toméis de la manera más lúdica posible. Sé que el camino hacia el lenguaje es complicado y, como padres, nos produce un estrés increíble ver que pasan los días y que no conseguimos eso tan necesario que hace que nuestros hijos se encaren al mundo y a la vida de una manera muy diferente.
All my proposals are aimed at achieving this. But many times it is not the goal but the way we walk that makes the difference towards what we are going to achieve, and this way of walking has to be led by fun , there is no other way.
Así que tenéis que encontrar la manera de adaptar todas estas ideas que encontraréis en los sucesivos posts del blog para que sean atractivas para vuestros hijos; porque si no conseguís engancharlos posiblemente no sirvan de nada.
So I ask that you put aside all the anxious part that entails seriousness, demand and constant demands and that you do the exercise of putting yourself next to your child. Accompanying him with our eyes wide open and collecting everything he gives us.
Having these ideas in mind but without forgetting that the path and the form will be marked by him or her and that there is no other way but through play and enjoyment, fun and emotions. Not only will it help your children, but it will help you with a much more effective positioning.
