Child Neuropsychological Assessment - Boston Area

What is a Child Neuropsychological Assessment?

A neuropsychological assessment helps you better understand your school or college aged child’s difficulties and/or learning style and provides detailed recommendations for appropriate services.

What are common reasons for an neuropsychological assessment?

Families in the Boston area might seek a neuropsychological evaluation for their child for many reasons:

• Your child has a history of developmental delays.
• You are concerned about your child’s school progress.
• You wonder if your child is gifted and talented.
• You are concerned about your child’s behavior.
• You are concerned about your child’s social skills.
• You want to better understand your child’s learning strengths and weaknesses.
• You are following through with a recommendation for an evaluation by a professional (such as a teacher, pediatrician, speech pathologist, or therapist).
• You want to better understand your child’s progress since a previous evaluation.

Any child whose parents suspect a delay or atypical development can benefit from an evaluation.

What conditions can be diagnosed and/or better understood?

• Mild to severe learning disorders such as dyslexia and non-verbal learning disorders (NVLD)
• Neurodevelopmental disorders such as language disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorders
• Psychiatric disorders such as anxiety or depression
• Congenital disorders such as cerebral palsy or hydrocephalus
• Neurological disorders such as seizure disorders or suspected brain injuries
• Medical illnesses or treatments that affect can cognitive functioning such as cystic fibrosis or chemotherapy
• Effects of toxic chemicals such as lead poisoning

What areas of thinking do neuropsychological evaluations assess?

• Intelligence
• Language
• Visual Perceptual abilities
• Gross motor and fine motor abilities (including writing)
• Memory and learning
• Attention*
• Problem solving and conceptualization*
• Planning and organization*

*These areas of thinking are frequently referred to as “executive functioning”