Many visual spatial learners (or right-brain thinkers) have ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's or other learning disabilities - both Dr. Linda Silverman and Dr. Deirdre Lovecky spell them out in their books and websites.
Many gifted children are visual spatial learners AND have ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's, or other LDs. BUT not all.
BUT - not everyone who is vsl has ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's, or LDs. Divergent thinking doesn't necessarily mean you have these diagnoses either.
A late bloomer doesn't mean you've got a ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's, or a LD either.
Characteristics of giftedness are similar to those of ADHD and can cause gifted children to be misdiagnosed. Yet there are also many gifted children with undiagnosed ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's, or LD.
The intensity, drive, perfectionism, curiosity, and impatience commonly seen in gifted children may be mistaken for indicators of ADHD.
Parents need someone who is an expert with both giftedness and ADHD, Asperger's, and LDs to confirm what's going on. A diagnosis should be made after a series of visits and evaluations - not merely on a checklist/s or one test.
The problem for some vsls is that schools tend to be aimed at the auditory, sequential, linear type of learning. It's usually quite structured with a teacher-driven curriculum and based on rote memorization and the drill and kill approach. If you have a creative child who is intrinsically motivated and more self-directed in their learning, they can resist the latter type of environment and learning.
Ironically, if you've read or hear anything by Daniel Pink, Tom West, Dr. Ken Robinson, or others, you'll see arguments for more creativity and visual spatial skills and thinking in the schools for the 21st Century. And the kids who are creative and have the visual spatial skills more naturally tend to be the ones with ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's, or other LDs.
