Psychological and Educational Testing Services

Dayspring Assessment Team specialize in assessment of children and adolescents ages 5-21

 

Frequently asked question about neuropsychological evaluation

What is a neuropsychological evaluation? 

A Neuropsychological evaluation includes a review of your records, an interview with parents, interview with child and administration of tests that measure their abilities and functioning. Using these sources of information, a neuropsychologist will provide you with a comprehensive report that summarizes the evaluation results and recommendations for school, home, and family life. 

Can you test for just ADHD? 

There is no single test for ADHD. The evaluation of ADHD should be comprehensive and rule out other possible reasons for difficulty with attention, concentration and impulsivity as well as a discovery of areas that are impacted. Symptom questionnaires such as the Vanderbilt are useful for identifying symptoms which could be ADHD, but not useful at identifying co-occuring conditions or identifying the child’s strengths.

What challenges do you assess for?

  • Cognitive disorders
  • ADHD Spectrum
  • Autism Spectrum and other Developmental Disorders
  • Learning Disabilities of Reading such as Dyslexia, Reading Comprehension, Reading Fluency
  • Learning Disabilities of Writing such as Dysgraphia or Disorder of Written Expression
  • Learning Disabilities of Mathematics such as Dyscalculia or Math fluency
  • Memory and Retention Difficulties
  • Psychological Difficulties such as Anxiety, Mood, and Behavioral Disorders
  • Sources of Motivation and Frustration

How is a private evaluation different from an evaluation in school?

Parents have the right to request the school conduct an evaluation at no cost to them. The school district can decline if they feel the student is within the average range of functioning. Schools are interested in whether the student qualifies for special education. They are not able to diagnose or provide recommendations on treatment. Often an evaluation in schools are considered a last resort. A private evaluation is useful for being proactive into understanding your child’s strengths and weaknesses and will provide a road map for ways to improve their functioning as well as providing peace of mind. 

My child is doing fine in academic areas so why do you need to test them?

It is important to see the entire picture in order to provide appropriate recommendations. For example, a child with a high intellect that is performing just average in academics may be under performing due to a neurological difference. 

How do you assess for strengths? 

An evaluation is as much looking for strengths as deficits. Often these strengths are under represented. A child’s strengths often help to provide roadmap to remediation of challenging areas and can unlock a students motivation. Strengths are assessed by directly asking parents and the student in the interview portion of the evaluation as well as standardized checklists. 

What recommendations may come out of an evaluation?

  • Counseling- what type, who and how often
  • Nutritional Supports
  • Medication Management
  • 504 Accommodations
  • IEP Recommendations
  • Tutoring- What to target
  • Executive functioning coaching
  • Social Skills Strategies, Groups
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Sleep Specialist
  • Behavioral Strategies for Home
  • Books
  • Websites

Okay I’d like to make an appointment for an evaluation, what can I expect?

First call our number 425-295-7697 or fill out our contact form and our assessment scheduler will coordinate the appointments.

First Appointment: Intake with parents only.

Testing Appointment: Your child will spend approximately 4-6 hours working with a Dayspring Psychometrician. Psychometrician’s are doctoral students who are trained by the psychologists to administer psychological and neuropsychological tests.

Next the psychologist team does an Analysis of the evaluation results, history, observations, diagnostic decisions, treatment needs and prepares for the feedback.

Follow up Appointment: 2 weeks after the testing appointment you will meet with your clinician to go over the results. You can expect a feedback summary within 24 hours sent via the patient portal.

The final report is completed in the next 2-3 weeks, reviewed and approved by our assessment director before completion. You will receive the report via the patient portal.