I am no expert on any of this, hopefully wiser people will come in with some insight. I just wanted to ask if have you looked into visual spatial learners? Try this page:

http://www.gifteddevelopment.com/Visual_Spatial_Learner/articles.htm

That might be a possible explanation for some of his differences from you? My own daughter is entirely a VSL, with a significant auditory deficit (she is currently in the process of getting a formal diagnosis of auditory processing disorder).