Before coming to the Center for Pediatric Neuropsychology, you might have a few questions - Here are some questions we get frequently.

What is Neuropsychological Testing?
Neuropsychological testing involves a series of standardized tests given by a neuropsychologist to measure the way the brain functions. Neuropsychological evaluations are often used to find neurologic diseases or the impact damage has on the way your child's brain functions. Additionally, Neuropsychologists are asked to monitor the recovery or progression of central nervous system disorder. Often, the Neuropsychologist will work closely with your child's doctor to manage their problems. Your doctor may provide treatment such as cognitive rehabilitation or behavior management.

How does a Neuropsychological Evaluation differ from a School Psychological Assessment?
School assessments are usually performed to determine whether a child qualifies for special education programs or therapies to enhance school performance. Generally, they do not diagnose learning or behavior disorders caused by altered brain function or development.

Who is a Neuropsychologist?
A Neuropsychologist is an doctor with specialized training the anatomy, physiology and pathology of the central nervous system and the conditions that affect those areas.  A neurophychologist is also trained to administer special tests to measure the relationship between the brain and a child's behaviour.

Why does my doctor want me to have this done?
Neuropsychological testing can help your doctor in diagnosing your child's illness, planning their treatment or rehabilitation and determining if there have been any changes in the way your child's brain functions. While a CT or MRI can give information about the structure of the brain, and an EEG describes it electrical activity, Neuropsychological testing tells your doctor about how your child's brain is working in regard to higher brain functions such as problem solving, attention, etc.

Your child could have been referred to see our neuropsychologist for one of these reasons difficulty in learning or problems with attention, diseases or inborn developmental problem that affect the brain, or a brain injury from an accident or birth trauma.

What can I expect the day of my evaluation?
The typical evaluation takes 3 1/2 hours to perform. No invasive procedures are involved. The first visit consists of you and your child meeting with the Neuropsychologist. This first office visit allows the doctor to get a better idea of what is wrong so that they can plan what needs to be done when you come back for the evaluation. When it is time for your child's evaluation, they will complete a series of tests that include computerized tests and hands-on activities. We have several trained technicians that help during the exam. Once the series of tests is complete, the Neuropsychologist will carefully review the test results, then write a report and makes recommendations to your doctor.

What will the results tell me about my child?
This kind of evaluation can explain why your child may be having school problems. The results can identify problems that need to be worked on at school. Testing can help detect the effects of developmental, neurological, and medical problems, such as epilepsy, autism, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, or a genetic disorder. An evaluation may be used to determine how the child performs prior to treatment and after treatment to determine if the treatment is beneficial. An evaluation may also be done periodically to see how the child is progressing over time. We usually like to see the child once a year to make sure the child is progressing normally.

Evaluations are also done to aid in diagnosing certain disorders. Different childhood disorders such as epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and certain genetic disorders result in specific patterns of performance on these tests. A neuropsychological examination can help identify a child's disorder and the brain areas that are involved. Your Neuropsychologist will work with your physician to combine results from medical tests, such as brain imaging, to diagnose your child's problem.

Will my insurance pay for this service?
Neuropsychological services are considered by most insurance companies a medical procedure. Most insurance companies will pay for this service. We will make efforts to determine your coverage for this procedure and will file claims for you with the insurance company. It is your responsibility to determine whether we are a provider with your plan.

Where will my test results go?
After testing is completed, the results will be discussed with the doctor who referred you for testing and a report will be prepared and forwarded to your doctor's office.