Neuropsychological Assessment
For preschool and school-age children, adolescents and young adults, a neuropsychological assessment is an in-depth evaluation of abilities and skills linked to brain function. It helps provide an accurate picture of the young person’s specific strengths and weaknesses that may contribute to learning or behavioral difficulties across settings, such as home and school.
Relevant areas of functioning may include:
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- Intellectual disability
- Learning disabilities (LD) and related deficits in memory, processing-speed or academic achievement
- Visual-spatial, visual-motor, fine motor deficits
- Deficits in social-emotional functioning
- Attention deficits, including inattentiveness, hyperactivity, impulsivity or executive-functioning weaknesses (difficulty planning and organizing)
- Language disorders or delays
- Anxiety or depression
- Behavior difficulties at home or school
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The neuropsych assessment measures underlying neurocognitive factors and places the child or young person’s abilities and skills within a developmental framework, compared to age and grade-level peers. The assessment process may take a month or more to complete. Schools may also recommend additional testing.
The neuropsychological report may indicate a need to collect other information before diagnosis and treatment. Some children or adolescents referred for an evaluation may already have a known disorder; others, because of emerging learning, psychological and/or neurocognitive challenges.
Reasons for an assessment may be specific neurodevelopmental disorders, including:
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- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Learning disabilities (LD)
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-concussion syndrome
- Traumatic brain injury
- Neurotoxicity secondary to cancer treatment
- Other neurological, genetic or medical disorders (such as epilepsy)
Learn more about CFI’s Pediatric Assessment Center (PAC)…