by Teresa Currivan, LMFT 

If you are used to reading my articles, you will know that I specialize in assessing the neurodivergent and off-the-grid, so to speak, students. I use a system of traits that all impact each other, and try my best to explain how each one influenced the other: it is a wholistic approach where you can’t just use one trait, such as ADHD, and understand the student only by understanding ADHD: you need to know the student’s other traits, number one, in order to diagnose the ADHD, and number two, to understand how to help the student with their ADHD. You could insert any one trait. Learning and thinking styles are at the forefront. Ruling out giftedness is at the forefront of my assessments: knowing a student’s full potential, regardless of their behaviors, how they produce, and what academic grade level they are performing at. I believe we can only use performance once we understand a student’s traits. If they are a typical learner, we can expect typical performance. If they go above and beyond, and they are a typical learner, they are probably gifted if they are above grade performance level. But I specialize in neurodivergent learners. 

The typical way of testing neurodivergent learners simply does not work, but when we do not have language to fall back on, the variables get even broader.

Many nonverbal and non-speaking learners have the label “L.D.” or “I.D.” after testing.  These are general letters that represent learning disability or intellectual disability. Intellectual ability implies low intelligence. Learning disability is a more vague term but implies learning difficulties. 

It is even possible for a non-verbal student who is highly to profoundly gifted to be labeled with an intellectual disability. Behavior problems and other neurodivergent traits can add to a misunderstanding of the non-verbal student’s potential, for example, being hyperfocused on a topic such as Disney or a superhero, regardless of age.  

Whether an individual is gifted or not is not as important to me as understanding their potential. When a student has a higher ability to think in complex terms, and craves that intellectual and creative stimulation, the lack of it in their life can cause behavior problems, depression, and anxiety. I feel it would help the teachers and caregivers of these students to problem-solve if they know how to communicate with these students on a level that suits them and guide them educationally and vocationally in a more appropriate way. This helps their mental health and helps them to be contributing members of our world, in whatever way that looks like. 

Stay tuned for more on Nonverbal Learning Disorders (NLVDs).

©2024 Teresa Currivan

Teresa Currivan is an author, mother, licensed marriage and family therapist, school therapist, coach, and consultant for individuals and parents at Help My Child Thrive Coaching. She developed The Currivan Protocol™ Qualitative Assessment Tool to assess and address co-occurring issues in neurodivergent students. This has been popular in her private practice and she has adapted it for use in public and private schools. She is the author of My Differently Tuned-In Child: The Right Place for Strength-Based Solutions. Teresa has been published on sites such as Mother.ly, Filter Free Parents, and is a blogger at GHF and Hoagies Gifted Education, and is a contributing author to the GHF Press book, “Perspectives on Giftedness.” Teresa has connections to San Francisco Bay Area schools such as Fusion Academy, Big Minds Unschool, The Academy of Thought and Industry, and the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD.) 

If you would like to schedule an assessment and parent coaching for your child, or would like to inquire about training for your school, you can contact Teresa at TeresaCurrivan@gmail.com

You may also be interested in: Teresa’s article on ADHD and Neurodiversity, Teresa’s Blog, “Neurodivergent Musings…”, or Neurodivergence and Sound: The Implications of Central Auditory Processing Disorder