Do You Wish You Knew How To Help Your Child?
Is your child misbehaving, struggling to make friends, or having a tough time keeping up in school? Are you worried that they’re not developing like other children their age?
Maybe your child is overly defiant and oppositional. Perhaps they can’t sit still, obey instructions, or stay on task in school. Their teachers may think that they’re just being difficult, but deep down, you suspect there’s more to the picture. Maybe you think they have autism, ADHD, a learning disability, or another mental health issue. For the first time, you might be wondering if you should get them a neuropsychological assessment.
Parenting A Neurodivergent Child Is Not Easy
Imagine being forced to play a new video game that you’ve never played before—and it’s on difficult mode. That’s what life is like for children who don’t understand their own challenges and diagnoses. They have to navigate a world that doesn’t make sense to them, all while not knowing what’s holding them back.
As a parent, raising a child with an undiagnosed neuropsychological condition is equally stressful. No matter how hard you work to support your child, life is still extra difficult for them. Their teachers, their coaches, and even their peers probably don’t know what it’s like to be in their shoes.
I know what it’s like to lose sleep over your child’s struggles—that’s why I founded Morning Star Psychological Services. I provide neuropsychological evaluations for children ages 18 months to 18 years. My goal is to help your child understand how their brain works and give you a clear path forward for supporting them.
Most Diagnoses Focus On Symptoms, Not Strengths
Our society’s diagnostic system is very focused on deficits. It’s all about symptoms, impairments, and figuring out what’s “wrong” with a person. What often gets left out is the fact that sometimes our challenges are also our greatest gifts. The big picture is so much broader than just “here are your symptoms” and “here are some meds for controlling them.”
After all, kids who are neurodivergent are often incredibly intelligent and perceptive. Their brains simply work differently than most people’s. For instance, children with ADHD may not be able to multitask well, but when it comes to doing one very important task, they often focus better than the average person. In this way, what society perceives as a deficit is really an asset.
My approach to neuropsychological testing looks at the whole picture, taking your child’s strengths and weaknesses into account. In this way, I offer so much more than just a diagnosis—I offer a completely new way of seeing your child’s situation.
A Neuropsychological Assessment Can Set Your Child Up For Success
When a child misbehaves, so many people see it as a problem. I see it as a clue—a clue into their unique way of seeing and interacting with the world. That’s why my approach goes much deeper than just evaluating signs and symptoms.
A neuropsychological assessment provides clear information about your child’s unique profile of strengths and weakness. It can help set them up for social, emotional, and academic success.
I offer neuropsychological testing for autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other mental health challenges and learning disabilities. But it isn’t just a one-and-done event. In addition to the testing portion, I can give you new recommendations for assisting your child and connect them to advocates, therapists, and other sources of support. After all, the goal is to help your child be happy, well-adjusted, and successful.
How The Neuropsychological Assessment Works
The process for doing an evaluation is very straightforward. Generally, it all takes about two months to complete. Here is a breakdown of the process:
- Intake appointment—The first step is a two-hour intake session held with you, the parent, so that you can go over your child’s struggles in detail. You are welcome to have your child attend the intake session, but that decision is ultimately yours.
- Testing appointments—Typically there are 3 to 5 testing appointments that range from 1.5 to 3 hours long depending on the child’s age.
- Time for the written assessment—Before giving you the final written report, I’ll talk to therapists, coaches, teachers, and anyone else who can provide valuable information about your child.
- Feedback session and written report—About 2 to 4 weeks after the last appointment, I will provide a written assessment giving you all the information you need to know about your child (no one else has to see the written report except you). The feedback session is a time to talk about the results.
Ultimately, I believe that you are the expert on your child and they are the expert on their own experiences. My role is to help you connect the dots and understand your child’s unique challenges on a deeper level. When you have good information, it’s much easier to make good decisions for your child and your family. That’s what an evaluation allows for.
You May Have Some Questions About Neuropsychological Assessments…
Do you accept insurance?
My services are very comprehensive. The truth is that no insurance covers the time necessary to provide high-quality, comprehensive assessment services. What’s more, you have a lot more control over your child’s information when insurance is not involved.
Although a neuropsychological assessment is not cheap, it’s important to remember that this screening process can greatly benefit your child’s life. And when the process is done, I can give you paperwork to submit to your insurance company if you want to be reimbursed.
How does a neuropsychological evaluation different from a school psych assessment?
The purpose of a school assessment is to see if your child qualifies for special education. It only looks at whether your child’s condition affects their schooling. Neuropsychological testing does so much more. In addition to evaluating your child’s academic abilities, my assessments explore fine motor skills, social skills, general functioning, and underlying cognitive abilities.
What if my child doesn’t want to do the testing?
This is a very common concern. I always give parents a handout that explains how to talk to children about testing. Additionally, I make every effort to ensure that the testing process is fun and interesting and allows for breaks. The last thing your child wants is to sit in a chair for long periods of time. I understand that, and that’s why I make the whole process accessible for kids.
Let Me Give You The Key To Understanding Your Child
You love your child and you want what’s best for them. I’m here to honor that desire and give you the key to understanding them and helping them thrive.
If you want your child evaluated for autism, ADHD, a learning disability, or any other issue, I encourage you to schedule an assessment. To get started, you can use the contact page or call me at 603-810-0782 for a free 20-minute phone consultation.
