Neuropsychological Evaluation
The Neuropsychology Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center offers three services:
Neuropsychological Assessment
A neuropsychological Assessment involves getting to know the child from several perspectives. We learn about a child's history, diagnosis, and thinking or behavior problems from parents, teachers, therapists and records from the school or hospital.
We use specialized tests to assess thinking skills, such as:
- Verbal ability
- Nonverbal ability
- Attention
- Learning and memory
- Problem-solving
The Neuropsychology Program team also spends some time getting to know each child through less formal interactions. We then integrate and summarize this information and suggest a plan to help the child.
How is this different from an individual evaluation at school?
Some of what we do is similar to what might happen during a school evaluation. However, whereas school psychologists are well equipped to handle children with "typical" learning and behavior problems, we have specialized expertise in how complex neurological disorders affect children.
In addition to our expertise, the Neuropsychological Program team looks at areas of functioning that are not typically assessed by the schools, such as memory and problem-solving.
What do parents get from a neuropsychological assessment?
We give parents feedback in person and in writing. This includes:
- Detail summary of the results
- Integrated way of thinking about the child's skills and needs
- Concrete recommendations for how to best work with the child
- Recommendations and support for obtaining needed services
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Neuropsychological Consultation
Sometimes we decide with parents that enough evaluation has been done already by others. In these cases, we often review existing records and interpret them in light of our understanding of the developing brain.
In other cases, we supplement what has already been done with a more focused, specialized assessment.
The Neuropsychology Program team will then make recommendations on how to best help the child grow and learn.
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Treatment
If psychological treatment is needed, we often help parents find resources close to home, then consult with those resources. We also offer treatment to a limited number of families who are receiving services through:
Treatment is usually structured and problem-focused. A referral from a professional at one of these two programs is required.
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