Is this some kind of processing disorder?

amother

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 7:32 am

My 20yo dd thankfully got her license, but is a terrible driver. She has a part time job, but I'm scared to let her drive alone yet, so I go with her while she drives there.
After doing this route tens of times, she still does not know the way herself! She asks me do I turn, go straight etc. She doesn't remember if she needs to be in certain lanes. Is this some kind of disorder or learning disability? She's very smart, and doesn't have a problem with left and right.
Also, would it be connected to her being a bad driver? She slows down when she has the right of way, brakes late, switches lanes without looking etc. How long does it take for a teenager to develop good enough driving skills to be safe on their own?

amother

Babyblue

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 7:50 am

I know someone who told me she only drives with Waze on cause she can’t remember directions even if she drove there a bunch of times. She also has a hard time recognizing faces. Not sure if it’s connected.
I think she drives well otherwise.
Good luck

amother

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 8:27 am

amother [ Sapphire ] wrote:

Yikes! This is me!

I am completely map illiterate. I don't drive, and couldn't, even if tried.

I have very poor spatial skills. It's something I struggle with in big and little ways on a daily basis.

Do you not drive because you don't know where you are going? Or are your driving skills affected?

ora_43

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 8:55 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Possibly. Could be an issue with spatial awareness/spatial processing.

Does she have other problems with recognition or space? Eg bumping into things a lot, poor sense of direction in general, trouble recognizing people.

Quote:

Also, would it be connected to her being a bad driver? She slows down when she has the right of way, brakes late, switches lanes without looking etc.

Maybe? But some of that sounds more like impulsivity or distractibility. Which can also be connected to disorders, but different ones.

Quote:

How long does it take for a teenager to develop good enough driving skills to be safe on their own?

Depends on whether she just needs more practice, or if there's an issue like spatial processing or ADHD or whatever else going on.

Do you see her getting better with time? At things like changing lanes, not necessarily re: her sense of direction.

amother

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 10:30 am

She always had a bad sense of direction but she never went anywhere herself.
I actually think she did well on a spatial relations aptitude test, I'm going to look it up.

I think she might be on the spectrum., I don't know if that would affect her driving. Every time I think she's getting better she does something really stupid again!

Are there any therapies that would help with this?

amother

Cerulean

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 10:33 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

OP before you even mentioned spectrum I was going to ask if she is otherwise neurotypical. Sounds like she might be getting stuck in fight/flight, anxious, her brain is probably flooded with cortisol, and that is preventing her from learning the directions and making good decisions. It’s altering her higher level processes. That’s my guess.

amother

Salmon

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 10:35 am

If she's a good driver other than a poor sense of direction, I would suggest she use waze or some other gps map guidance to get to places. My sister has a terrible sense of direction, she can drive within our few streets, but as soon as she gets slightly further away, she gets panicky and lost. Waze works for her, but she's not a confident driver anyway so she doesn't go long distances.

amother

Aubergine

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 10:38 am

OP please look up nonverbal learning disorder and dyspraxia. I have both of these with all the directional issues involved and similar to your DD. Walking anywhere I needed to print directions with landmarks noted if possible (IE when you get out of the subway you'll be facing x building. Walk towards it and when you get to the building on the corner with the yellow awning turn right.) Even in high school I needed to be walked to friend's houses the first few times going there. My mom once turned to me and said "so if I told you to go to x location from y spot you still couldn't do it?" and I said "absolutely not, it's like that part of my brain isn't there."

I am, however, impressed that your DD drives at all. I failed my road test once and gave up because I knew I was having spatial and directional issues.

amother

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 11:48 am

amother [ Aubergine ] wrote:

:

Yes, this sounds like her. She actually insisted on going to a seminary that allows smart phones so that she could have waze!

She did fail her road test a few times...

What can I look in to to help her as far as therapies? What kind of therapist deals with this? Thank you!

amother

Aubergine

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 12:33 pm

So glad to help!! So the problem is I have no idea. I got diagnosed when I was only 21 and nothing was done about it so I'm just plodding along as I am.

I would recommend getting a full evaluation for your DD provided she agrees, because whoever does it will be able to help you with those suggestions. I imagine for kids PT/OT would be in order, but I genuinely have no idea. Only caveat is you must make sure that whoever you go to knows about nonverbal learning disorder and dyspraxia. Very common for it to get diagnosed as either autism or ADD when even though it's considered "on the spectrum" it's neither of those two.

amother

Silver

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 1:19 pm

So this was me when I first started to drive.

I have poor spatial awareness and because things are speeded up in a car, driving makes me tense. I still (driving for 30 years!) need to memorize where I go, rather than others who just have a feel for where they are. When I started driving, I also used to slow down when I was merging because it was hard to coordinate everything all at once. It took time but I am now a very safe driver and have been for a very long time.

I would suggest that you hire a driving instructor to take her for more practice and more practice and more practice. Especially on highways. And be encouraging! She will be fine! It is a skill that is mastered by people with all levels of abilities and IQs. She will get there. Acknowledging that you need more practice and then getting it, is a mark of maturity.

amother

Red

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 7:34 pm

amother [ Aubergine ] wrote:

Wow I never met anyone with NVLD. My dd has it. How were you diagnosed? What helped you in school? She is very intelligent BH.

amother

Aqua

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 7:37 pm

I have a terrible terrible sense of direction but no other learning problem. I use gps wherever I go, got lost a lot before gps came out and could not give someone directions even to go somewhere 15 minutes away if it required a few turns. I’m a typical person in every other area, just “disabled “ when it comes to direction. Terrible at dance and anything that requires moving in certain directions too. I was the one bumping into everyone because I was going left instead of right etc.

amother

Sapphire

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 8:08 pm

amother [ Aubergine ] wrote:

Just got back on here, and was gonna elaborate on my previous post.

But it's all here, basically. I have nvld and adhd (inattentive). I have zero internal sense of right and left. Mixed into the brew is also anxiety that crops up when having to figure out where to go, how to get there... it clouds my judgement, and I get so rattled.

amother

Red

Wed, Mar 17 2021, 8:43 pm

amother [ Sapphire ] wrote:

Please tell me about NVLD, inattentive ADHD and anxiety. This is all what my daughter has. I'm desperate for information. To understand her and to help her. Professionals don't even know what NVLD is because it's not on the DSM5.