Services
Neuropsychological Evaluation:
This evaluation is selected when parents may suspect their child has a neurodevelopmental condition (i.e., Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tourette’s Disorder, Intellectual Disability, etc.) and/or emotional conditions (Anxiety, Depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, etc.). Neuropsychological evaluations include comprehensive testing in relation to intellectual reasoning, motor and speech functioning, executive functions (memory, attention, impulse control, mental flexibility, information processing, planning/organization, etc.), social-emotional functioning, and academic development (reading, writing, mathematics). These evaluations provide parents with information related to accessing special education supports (IEP, 504 plan) for their child at school as well.
Independent Educational Evaluation:
This evaluation is a potential option for parents who disagree with the school’s recent evaluation of their child and are seeking a second opinion. IEE’s are approved and paid by your school district (if eligible). Please review the following article for more information about these evaluations: https://www.understood.org/articles/en/i-disagree-with-the-school-evaluation-results-now-what.
Psychoeducational Evaluation:
This evaluation is selected when primary concerns are related to a child’s academic development in relation to possible delays with reading (dyslexia), writing (dysgraphia), or mathematics (dyscalculia). Testing includes intellectual reasoning, expressive and receptive language, visual-spatial and constructional abilities, memory functioning, and academic skills. Psychoeducational evaluations further provide parents information related to accessing special education supports (IEP, 504 plan) for their child at school.
You can expect to sit with your child's provider during the evaluation to review developmental information that helps them better understand historical factors that may be contributing to present concerns. As neuropsychologists, we greatly value the impact developmental factors such as pregnancy and delivery circumstances, when a child first walked and talked, their medical history, social-emotional development, and academic achievement can have on our understanding of brain functioning. As part of our evaluations, we often request parents complete certain rating scales to provide additional context to their child's social, emotional, behavioral, and adaptive functioning. We additionally will inquire about teacher input to help provide context to a child's behavior in the educational setting.
Once testing is completed, we will schedule a Feedback Session, which is usually held one to two weeks following the initial appointment (testing date). During feedback, your provider will review the testing outcomes and discuss what strengths and inconsistencies were illuminated. Parents are encouraged to ask as many questions as they can think of during this portion! Diagnoses will be discussed in feedback (if applicable).
The last part of our evaluations is the Final Report, which our providers take great pride in detailing the in's and out's of an individuals developmental history, testing observations, outcomes, and interpretations. The report will include all relevant and necessary information to outline the etiology of a clinical diagnosis and more importantly provide practical recommendations (both educational and clinical) to help your child maximize their amazing brain!
Gifted Evaluation:
This is a very specific evaluation, as it is exclusively for parents who are seeking testing to establish their child’s intellectual quotient (IQ) for access to educational gifted programming (should the child’s IQ meet the educational statistical standard for giftedness).
THE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE OF OUR EVALUATIONS
Our evaluations involve testing with the patient, which typically takes approximately 3.5 to 4 hours in length depending on the nature of the referral concern. Testing will examine different aspects of brain functioning related to intellectual reasoning, executive functioning, motor control and planning, articulation and phonological awareness, and academic development. The depth we explore the prior will vary given the type of evaluation requested.