Neuropsychological Assessment
Neuropsychological Assessment helps us evaluate our strengths and weaknesses in the context of our peers.
It’s especially useful in early and later life as these two phases have the greatest variability in cognitive performance.
For children it helps us determine learning styles and difference and possible developmental delays.
For older adults it can detect neurodegenerative processes before they manifest as functional impairment in daily life giving us precious time to intervene.
Finally, following a brain injury it provides a new baseline that lets us track recovery over time and pinpoint rehab efforts.
Read more to find out specifics of these valuable services.
CHILD NEUROPSYCH
Why should you consider having a child evaluated?
Neuropsychological assessment can help teachers and parents better understand how a child:
- Solves problems
- Learns and retains information over the short and long-term
- Uses and understands language
- Processes information both visually and orally
- Employs cognitive ability in flexible and creative ways
Who refers a child for assessment?
Pediatricians, teachers, school psychologists, and parents themselves refer children.
Common referral reasons:
- Learning differences
- Behavior problems
- Academic or social difficulty
- Emotion control issues
- Genetic, developmental or acquired brain illness
- Brain injury
- Complications from pregnancy or birth
- Accident
- Toxic fetal exposure to lead, alcohol, or other agent
How is an assessment conducted?
- The neuropsychologist meets with the family and teacher or the child to determine their individual needs
- The neuropsychologist selects from a variety of paper and pencil, computer-based, observational, self-report and behavioral tests.
- The child meets with the examiner and areas such as memory, attention, processing of visual and auditory information, motor coordination, language, and emotional functioning are evaluated. These assessments are designed to challenge the child to help determine individual strengths and weaknesses.
- The neuropsychologist scores, organizes and interprets the results in a written report. This document contains recommended interventions and treatments depending on the child’s unique needs.
- Finally, a meeting is scheduled to review the results. Here the neuropsychologist helps the parent, teacher, and other professionals to understand the child and their behavior better and to provide needed support.
How is assessing a child different from an adult?
The brains of children and teens are still developing. There is a natural progression and normal range of variation in skills and learning between children as they grow. Some basic brain areas, such as visual acuity, auditory processing, and motor control mature early and are inherited through our genetics.
Other brain areas like learning, memory, attention, and behavioral control continue to develop throughout childhood. The frontal lobe affects our ability to control our impulses, learn from our mistakes and understand how our behavior impacts others and continues to mature until we reach our mid-twenties.
How old must a child be for an evaluation and how long do evaluations last?
Pediatric neuropsychology focuses on a broad age range from infants to young adults entering college. The length of evaluations vary based on age and referral question. Typically, infants and preschoolers finish in under a couple hours, but adolescents and young adults can take longer and may be broken up across several meetings.
Are repeat assessments necessary?
Follow-up assessment can be a valuable tool to help:
- Track progress
- Monitor recovery from illness or injury
- Evaluate success of interventions
How does a neuropsychological assessment differ from a school psychological evaluation?
School psychologists evaluate a child’s need for special education and help tailor classroom learning accommodations. The focus is on scholastic achievement and the skills needed to succeed. A pediatric neuropsychological evaluation measures how the child is functioning intellectually, academically, socially, and emotionally.
The neuropsychologist focuses mainly on understanding the developing brain.
GERIATRICS
Why would an older adult need a neuropsychological assessment?
Common reasons to have an evaluation:
- Distinguish between cognitive impairment and normal aging
- Clarify diagnosis of a pathological process affecting the brain
- Provide a baseline to measure against in the future
- Track recovery after an illness or traumatic brain injury
- Determine capacity for independent living and decision making
Who makes a referral for a geriatric neuropsychological assessment?
Neurologists, psychiatrists, primary care physicians, family members and the adult themselves may make a referral.
Why make a referral?
Neuropsychological assessment can aid in the early detection of cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults. It can assist in clarifying cognitive strengths and weaknesses that may be targets for training, pharmacotherapy, or compensatory strategies.
Common Geriatric Neuropsychology Referral Questions:
- Does this person have cognitive impairment? Please assess the nature and extent of this individual’s cognitive difficulties.
- Is there evidence of cognitive decline?
- Do they meet the criteria for a dementia?
- Can the patient’s cognitive symptoms be explained by a condition or disease?
- Is the patient’s presentation most consistent with a depression or a dementia?
- Is testing suggestive of a specific dementia (e.g., AD, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies)?
- The patient has a diagnosis of “X” [or, is undergoing surgery for “X”]; a baseline evaluation of cognitive and emotional functioning would be appreciated.
- Has this individual’s cognition improved/declined since their previous assessment?
- What strategies or treatments can be recommended to assist the patient?
- Are they able to make reasonable decisions about specific concerns (e.g., medical treatment, living arrangements, finances)?
- Does the patient have the capacity to complete an enduring power of attorney? Personal directive, advance directive, or living will?
- Is guardianship or trusteeship required?
- Will they require increased support? Be able to live independently?
- Is a driving assessment recommended?
- Are there any cognitive, emotional, or behavioral concerns that might affect the patient’s ability to participate in treatment?
Information to include when making a referral:
- Demographic data (e.g., age, gender, education level, and living situation)
- Information about an individual’s language preference, and whether an interpreter might be required
- Problems with uncorrected vision or hearing, motor limitations, or pain/fatigue that might pose a challenge to the assessment process
- Relevant developmental, medical, and psychiatric history, including knowledge of any conditions or medications that might affect cognition, mood, or behavior
- Documentation of recent relevant concerns
- A specific referral question
To set up an appointment, call or text (917) 740-9547, or email us.