Like adults, children and adolescents may suffer injuries, be diagnosed with chronic medical or neurologic disorders, and experience psychiatric or cognitive side effects from medical treatments. They additionally can be diagnosed with disorders first encountered during the developmental period between birth and adulthood, the so-called “Developmental Disorders”.
Developmental neuropsychologists (also referred to as pediatric neuropsychologists) receive extensive training in brain-behavior relationships and specialize in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of disorders first impacting cognitive and emotional functioning during the developmental years.
Neuropsychological evaluations can be critical for early detection and intervention. It is therefore no surprise that children and adolescents are among the most frequently referred to a Neuropsychology Clinic given their close monitoring by both parents and teachers during development. It is for this same reason a developmental neuropsychologist will typically gather information from parents, teachers, or both, as part of a comprehensive evaluation.
Some of the reasons for referral to a developmental neuropsychologist include:
- Failing to meet certain developmental milestones on time (e.g., acquisition of language or motor skills, reading)
- Experiencing a loss of previously acquired cognitive skills
- Falling behind in school or struggling with a particular subject
- Having difficulty concentrating, completing tasks, sitting still or controlling impulses
- Having difficulty making interpersonal connections with others, or experiencing other interpersonal or physical hypersensitivities
- Becoming anxious, depressed or frustrated in one’s school, home or personal life
- A neuropsychological evaluation can help identify the nature and severity of a child’s problem(s) and guide the interventions that follow, often involving schools or other agencies. A developmental neuropsychologist will:
- Diagnose or rule out a disorder
- Differentiate between a primary cognitive versus psychiatric disorder
- Make treatment recommendations (e.g., individual psychotherapy; social skills group; coaching for ADHD; referral to psychiatry for a medication consultation)
- Make recommendations for school accommodations and facilitate Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs)
- Monitor recovery from an acquired injury to the brain (e.g., traumatic brain injury, tumor, stroke)
- Monitor the stability, decline or improvement in symptoms of a chronic brain disorder (e.g., epilepsy)
- Provide evaluations and documentation for families seeking patient services and benefits
We invite you to review the What We Do and What is Neuropsychology? sections for further detail, and to contact us for a consultation to determine whether a neuropsychological evaluation may be appropriate for your child.