Gathering relevant historical information
- History is obtained through reviewing medical and other records, and through interview with the patient. With the patient’s permission, family members or other knowledgeable persons may be interviewed and asked to share their perceptions and perspective on important aspects of the history and symptoms.
- Neuropsychological Testing
- The examination typically consists of the administration of standardized tests using oral questions, paper and pencil, computers, the manipulation of materials such as blocks and puzzles, and other procedures.
- Depending on the scope and intent of the evaluation, testing may focus on a wide range of cognitive functions including attention, memory, language, academic skills, reasoning and problem solving, visuospatial ability, and sensory-motor skills.
- The neuropsychologist may also administer tests and questionnaires concerning psychological aspects of mood, emotional style, behavior, and personality.
- The amount of direct contact time required for the patient will depend on the scope of the specific evaluation; the evaluation might be a brief screening requiring as little as an hour or a comprehensive assessment spread requiring 8 hours or more, spread out over several appointments.
- Analysis and integration of data and findings
- Following the in-person evaluation, the doctor will analyze the performance by comparing with appropriate normative data and integrate this within the context of the clinical history, patient presentation, and referral question. A written report is produced.
- Feedback
- A feedback session is provided to review the findings and recommendations with the patient and family.
- A written report will be sent to he report will provide a description of neuropsychological strengths and weaknesses, patterns of findings that have diagnostic significance, and recommendations for further evaluation and/or treatment.
- With your permission, the report can be shared with the doctor (or other professional) who initiated the referral and other health care providers involved in your care. referring doctor. How do I know if my loved one needs a Neuropsychological Evaluation?
How do I know if my loved one needs a Neuropsychological Evaluation?
- An acquired brain injury from a trauma to the head, stroke, lack of oxygen, or an infection.
- A medical or neurological condition such as hydrocephalus, cerebral palsy, epilepsy (seizures), neurofibromatosis, tuberous sclerosis, or a brain tumor.
- Neuropsychiatric disorders
- Neurodegenerative disorders
- A developmental or school problem such as a learning disability, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, neurogenetic disorder, neurodegenerative disorder
Your physician may recommend a neuropsychological assessment to
- Help make or confirm a diagnosis.
- Get a record of your loved one's functioning before treatment with medicine or surgery.
- Record a change in your loved one's functioning after a medical treatment (testing can be repeated to see if the treatment changed your child’s functioning).
How does a Neuropsychological Evaluation differ from a school evaluation?
- Neuropsychologists and school psychologists often use some of the same tests. However, school evaluations focus on deciding if a child has a problem with academic skills such as reading, spelling, or math. Neuropsychologists focus on understanding why a child is having problems in school or at home. This is done by examining academic skills but also examining all of the thinking skills needed to perform well in and outside of school – skills like memory, attention, and problem-solving. Understanding a child’s specific thinking strengths and weaknesses helps to better focus school plans and medical treatment and understand potential areas of future difficulty. Because neuropsychologists have training in clinical psychology, they are also able to diagnosis emotional problems like depression and anxiety.