Tag Archive for: neuropsychology testing

Should My Child Be Tested for Autism?

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As parents, it is natural to worry about your child’s development if he or she does not seem to be meeting developmental milestones on time. When will my child say their first word? Shouldn’t they be walking by know? Should they still be having this much trouble reading?

Children’s developmental milestones can vary greatly, and the rate of when milestones are accomplished does not always yield significant advantages or disadvantages in the long run. However, there are some early markers for Autism Spectrum Disorder that could indicate you should get them tested.

Does your child…

  • reduced eye contact
  • loss of previously acquired speech or social skills
  • delayed language development
  • resistance to minor changes in routine
  • repetitive behaviors (e.g., flapping, rocking, spinning)
  • unusual and intense reactions to smells, tastes, textures, lights

If your child demonstrate some of these early markers, a neuropsychological evaluation is helpful in identifying Autism Spectrum Disorder.

An Autism evaluation includes:

  • An interview with the child’s parents/caregivers
  • Administration of a play-based test designed to evaluate the presence of the behavioral excesses and deficits found in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • A completion of rating scales that help assess your child’s level of functioning

Depending on your child’s age, a neuropsychological evaluation can also include assessment of cognitive functioning, language skills, and visual-motor skills to obtain a comprehensive evaluation of your child’s global functioning.

Should findings indicate that your child has Autism Spectrum Disorder, receiving a diagnosis will allow for treatment specifically geared towards helping children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, as well as provide recommendations for school regarding your child’s needs. Should findings not reveal Autism Spectrum Disorder, recommendations are still generated based on your child’s strengths and weaknesses to maximize their opportunity to reach optimal success.

The earlier a child receives intervention, the better the outcome. We are committed to continuing to provide these diagnostic services, even during the pandemic, by  following the guidelines set forth by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. What this may look like is a tele-health diagnostic interview and feedback session, where we review the results of the evaluation. In-person sessions would involve our best efforts at social distancing and use of protective gear to minimize risk of transmission. If you believe that your child may have autism spectrum disorder, schedule a neuropsychology consultation today.

Want to know if your child should get a Neuropsychology Evaluation?
We now offer FREE 15 Minute Neuropsychology Consultations!

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benefits of neuropsychology testing

Neuropsychological evaluations for kids

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benefits of neuropsychology testing

How can neuropsychological testing benefit my child?

  • Testing can identify your child’s learning style and cognitive strengths.
  • Additionally, an evaluation will help our neuropsychologists recommend adjustments to implement at school and/or at home.
  • Furthermore, neuropsychological testing can help determine any appropriate therapies such as speech or Applied Behavior Analysis.

My child has a recommendation for a neuropsychological evaluation, now what?

  • First, schedule an appointment. Testing appointments are available Monday to Friday, and all appointments begin at 9 a.m.
  • Next, your doctor provides you with parent and teacher rating scales that you will fill out and return on the day of the testing appointment.
  • Lastly, a Family Child Advocate will work with you to schedule the testing and feedback appointments.

Where is pediatric neuropsychological testing done?

All neuropsychology testing is currently carried out in our Des Plaines clinic.  The Early Childhood Developmental Assessments take place in multiple clinics. Additionally, the intake and neuropsych testing appointment take place in our Des Plaines clinic, and the speech and OT appointments typically scheduled in the clinic nearest the family.

In order to help accommodate families, our 3 psychologists visit other clinics for intakes and feedbacks. See our website for scheduling.

Who conducts neuropsychological testing?

Conducting the appointment is one of our expertly-trained, master’s level neuropsychology technicians or doctoral-level diagnostic students. These professionals go through the same rigorous training program as our in-house technicians.  Testing is monitored throughout the day by one of our psychologists and Training Coordinator.

Due to this testing model, we are able to see upwards of 20 kids per week! As a result, this means less time until you and your child can begin the process of getting the help he/she needs! Certainly, we do our best to get your child in for testing in a timely manner to avoid any long wait lists.

NSPT offers services in the following locations:  Bucktown, Evanston, Deerfield, Lincolnwood, Glenview, Lake Bluff, Des Plaines, and Mequon!

If you have questions or concerns about your child, we would love to help! Give us a call at (866) 815-6592 and speak to one of our Family Child Advocates!

Contact Us

 

what to expect in a neuropsychological exam

Neuropsychological testing for kids at NSPT

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what to expect in a neuropsychological exam

A child receives a referral for neuropsychological testing when there are concerns about one or more areas of development. Certainly, these areas of concern can include cognition, academics, attention, memory, language, socialization, emotional regulation, behavioral concerns, motor difficulties, visual-spatial, and adaptive functioning. Testing can identify your child’s learning style and cognitive strengths. Lastly, through testing, our neuropsychologists can recommend accommodations to implement at school and at home.

What is a neuropsychological evaluation?

A neuropsychological evaluation aids the psychologist in determining a diagnosis.
Such as:

How do I know if my child needs a pediatric neuropsychological evaluation?

An evaluation is usually recommended if your child has a medical condition such as Down syndrome, epilepsy, or a traumatic brain injury (TBI). So, the goal of the evaluation is to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses. With this information, we can provide the right treatment recommendations, determine progress and response to intervention, and monitor functioning.

After your pediatrician has made a referral for a neuropsychological evaluation, you need to schedule an intake appointment. Typically, each intake appointment is one hour long.

Is my child eligible for testing at NSPT’s neuropsychological testing center?

Due to our growing team, we are able to test a larger population. Most noteworthy, we offer three types of testing services:

      1. Early Childhood Developmental Assessment
        This is a multidisciplinary approach where our team works with a speech therapist and occupation therapist to assess children ages 15 months to 3 years, 11 months with developmental concerns ranging from socialization, language, and motor development. Each of the 3 scheduled testing appointments are typically on separate days.
      2. Neuropsychological Evaluation
        NSPT’s standard neuropsychological evaluation for individuals ages 4 through college-age.
      3. Adult ADHD assessment
        This is a new service we are now offering to adults who are interested in an ADHD evaluation. Typically, this is a one-day, 4-hour evaluation.

What should I expect during the neuropsychological intake?

  • Your first appointment is centered around talking with the psychologist about your areas of concern. Therefore, you will be asked to do the following:
    • Provide information about your child’s history.
    • Including medical, developmental, academic, attention, behavior, motor, and social history.
    • Inform the psychologist of any current, or past, services your child receives, such as:
      • speech-language therapy
      • occupational therapy
      • physical therapy
      • individual therapy
      • academic tutoring

What to bring to the neuropsychological intake:

  • You and your child
  • Completed intake paperwork
  • Similarly, any prior psychological/neuropsychological evaluation (if applicable)
  • Your child’s most recent 504 Plan or IEP (if applicable)
  • Additionally, any recent private intervention evaluation (e.g., speech-language therapy, occupational therapy)
  • Certainly, don’t forget your child’s most recent report card or standardized exam scores
  • Finally, any relevant medical information (e.g., EEG report, CT/MRI scan report)

Lastly, after the intake, you will schedule the testing session for your child.  Most of the time, testing is completed in one day (5 hours of testing). Occasionally, the testing will be completed over two days.  The psychologist will create a neuropsychological battery based on the areas of concern. However, the battery is subject to adjustment on the day of testing.  Typically, this occurs if another area of concern arises during the testing session.

To sum up, a pediatric neuropsychological evaluation can also help to determine any appropriate therapies such as speech or Applied Behavior Analysis. For more FAQ, click here. 

 

NSPT offers services in Bucktown, Evanston, Deerfield, Lincolnwood, Glenview, Lake Bluff, Des Plaines and Mequon! If you have questions or concerns about your child, we would love to help! Give us a call at (866) 815-6592 and speak to one of our Family Child Advocates!

 

Specific Learning Disorders in Children

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Learning disorders are some of the most common neurodevelopmental LearningDisorders-Main-Landscapeconditions that children face. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), which is the guidebook on classification of diagnoses published by the American Psychiatric Association indicated that the prevalence of specific learning disorders across academic domains of reading, mathematics, and written expression is between 5%-15% in school aged children.

There is significant discussion both in the literature, and among clinicians and researchers, regarding how to appropriately classify and subsequently diagnose a specific learning disorder. Traditionally, it was assumed that a specific learning disorder existed when there was a significant discrepancy between a child’s cognitive ability and achievement in reading, mathematics, or written expression. However, within the US, changes have occurred over the past decade regarding the criteria used for determining a specific learning disorder which is now based on a multi-tier process involving early identification and intervention and the child’s response to the intervention.

Where children might exhibit learning disorders:

According to the DSM-5, there are three specifications of learning disorders that children might exhibit: Specific Learning Disorder With Impairment in Reading, Specific Learning Disorder With Impairment in Written Expression, and Specific Learning Disorder with Impairment in Mathematics. It is quite common for children to exhibit multiple learning disorders.

Potential related deficits:

There are definite concerns with a child’s social, emotional, and behavioral regulation if they have a documented learning disorder. Prior studies have indicated that up to 75% of children with a diagnosed learning disorder demonstrate significant social skill deficits expressed by peer rejection and social isolation.

What can be done:

It is our strong recommendation that in order to most effectively address a child’s specific learning disorder, it is important that the child undergo a comprehensive evaluation in order to effectively classify and make sense of the patterns of difficulty that the child presents with as well as to rule out additional existing factors of concern, and to best determine what specific interventions are warranted. Recommended interventions are specifically based on the area of weakness a child exhibits both across the testing as well as within the child’s academic environment.

NSPT offers services in Bucktown, Evanston, Highland Park, Lincolnwood, Glenview, Lake Bluff and Des Plaines. If you have questions or concerns about your child, we would love to help! Give us a call at (877) 486-4140 and speak to one of our Family Child Advocates today!