Along with Areas to evaluate, the follow check list is helpful when reviewing a patient’s file, looking for different test findings from various professionals to see if diagnosis of NLD appears to be an appropriate diagnosis.
Based on Rourke’s criteria:
| 1. WISC VIQ > PIQ by at least 10 points. | Yes/No |
| 2. Highest of verbal scaled scores from WISC or WISC-R include
Two of the following: Vocabulary Similarities Information |
Yes/No
Score Score Score |
| 3. Lowest of the Performance scaled scores WISC or WISC-R
include two of the following: Block Design Object Assembly Coding |
Yes/No
Score Score Score |
| 4. Target Test is at least 1 SD below the mean | Yes/No |
| 5. WRAT Standard Score for Reading is at least 8 points greater than
Arithmetic. |
Yes/No |
| 6. TPT Right, Left, and Both hand scores become progressively worse vis-à-vis norms | Yes/No |
| 7. No or very minimal simple tactile imperception and suppression | Yes/No |
| 8. Very poor finger agnosia | Yes/No |
| 9. Very poor stereognosis
. |
Yes/No |
| 10. Normal to superior grip strength
Scores: |
Yes/No |
| 11. Mild to moderate impairment on Grooved Pegboard
Score: |
Yes/No |
| 12. Evidence of a preponderance of somatosensory or psychomotor errors
on the left side. |
Yes/No |
| Normal to superior Speech-Sounds Perception and Auditory Closure
versus somewhat poorer Sentence Memory and Very poor Phonemically Cued Verbal Fluency. |
Yes/No |
| Scoring NLD Assessment: | |
| 9 or 10 yes answers = Definite NLD | 5 or 6 of these = Possible NLD |
| 7 or 8 of these = Probable NLD | 1 to 4 of these = Low Probability of NLD |
| Description of information | Where to gather information |
| 1. WISC VIQ > PIQ by at least 10 points. Weschler’s Intelligence Test | Review testing, usually done by psychologist |
| 2. Highest of verbal scaled scores from WISC or WISC-R include
Two of the following: Vocabulary Similarities Information |
Review testing, usually done by psychologist |
| 3. Lowest of the Performance scaled scores WISC or WISC-R
include two of the following: Block Design Object Assembly Coding |
Review testing, usually done by psychologist |
| 4. Target Test is at least 1 SD below the mean-
Hitting suspended ball with finger as in the Peabody Assessment. Tests timing, eye/hand, motor planning and anticipation |
Occupational Therapist |
| 5. WRAT Standard Score for Reading is at least 8 points greater than
Arithmetic. |
Psychologist or Resource Teacher |
| 6. TPT Right, Left, and Both hand scores become progressively worse vis-à-vis norms – mimicking of hand patterns such as rapidly reversing repetitive hand movements – and performance worsens with repeated trials rather than improving. Use Quick Neurological Screening Test, Sensory Integration and Praxis test | Occupational Therapist |
| 7. No or very minimal simple tactile imperception and suppression – no evidence of tactile desensitization per Sims Weinstein Filament Test | Occupational Therapist |
| 8. Very poor finger agnosia – unable to identify letters drawn onto fingers | Occupational Therapist |
| 9. Very poor stereognosis – unable to identify objects placed in hand with vision occluded.
. |
Occupational Therapist |
| 10. Normal to superior grip strength- As measured by clinical observation or the Dynamometer | Occupational Therapist |
| 11. Mild to moderate impairment on Grooved Pegboard- Measured with Standardized Groove Peg Board. | Occupational Therapist |
| 12. Evidence of a preponderance of somatosensory or psychomotor errors
on the left side. – child had significant praxis deficits (motor planning, ideation and execution), pronounced on left side. |
Occupational Therapist |
| Normal to superior Speech-Sounds Perception and Auditory Closure
versus somewhat poorer Sentence Memory and Very poor Phonemically Cued Verbal Fluency. – Articulation and enunciation is good, poor content of speech, poor use of pragmatics |
Speech and Language Therapist |
– created and compiled by Rondalyn Whitney, MOT, OTR, Author of The Nonverbal Learning Disorder Guide for Teachers, Parents, Employers and Therapists by Rondalyn Varney Whitney, MOT, OTR.