Pediatric Psychological Evaluation
Psychoeducational evaluations provide a profile of individual strengths and weaknesses in the areas of cognition, academics, executive functioning, processing, and social, emotional and behavioral development. This profile is useful in identifying the following:
Learning Disorders
Attention Issues
School Difficulties
Emotional Problems
IQ and Giftedness
A psychological evaluation, performed by a clinical psychologist, is used to clarify cognitive, psychological and educational issues. The results give your family answers to a specific question and a detailed plan of action for your child. Each evaluation is unique, using different tools, depending on what you are looking to better understand. Due to the variation in time and skill required, prices vary.
With a step by step plan you will begin to see the benefits. . .
In your child. They are aware that they need support they haven't been getting. They can see the adults in their life struggling to help but unsure of what to do. They are as frustrated as you are. Now that you are equipped with clear information and definitive steps to take, they will begin to relax as you do. Just like adults, children feel less anxious when they have straight forward information. As part of the feedback process I explain the results of our findings in age-appropriate terms and coach caregivers for future questions and conversations.
In their mental health treatment. Your child's therapist can make a more precise treatment plan with the diagnostic information provided in the evaluation. I make myself available to consult with your child's treatment team to explain results and discuss recommendations in detail. Treatment can progress at a quicker pace when the interventions are appropriate for the child's cognitive and psychological capacity.
At school. It is likely that you have not been the only one worried about your child. School staff may have been sharing their concerns as well. The assessment report includes specific recommendations for classroom learning as well as social interaction with peers and behavioral interventions. In some situations these recommendations can be incorporated into an IEP or 504 plan, help identify a necessary placement change or gain access to a gifted learning enviornment.
In overall health and wellness. As the medical community continues to recognize a mind and body connection, your pediatrician will be glad to have the report as part of your child's health record. You may have brought your child to the doctor with many questions and continued to leave with a with a clean bill of physical health and some confusion. Now you and your child's doctor can use the information in this report to add to the context of your child's health needs.
At home. The stress of an undiagnosed or improperly treated issue can wreak havoc on the delicate balance of your home. You may have been so focused seeking answers for your child that your career, spouse, friends and even other children may be sorely lacking for your attention. The patience between family members may be wearing thin. As you begin to move forward with a concrete plan your home life will become more manageable and your attention can be shared, once again, with all of your important obligations.