Neuropsychological Assessments
The purpose of the neuropsychological assessment is to answer the questions that have been posed by individuals or their physicians, whether it is to diagnose possible learning disabilities and to recommend appropriate therapies, to diagnose ADHD in children or adults, cognitive decline in older patients, or to examine other possible impairments.
The neuropsychological assessment is multidimensional. In order to determine how to assist a client, I take a complete history, which includes gathering information from others who know the client. When working with a child, I often also observe the child in the classroom.
The assessment includes taking a thorough history and administration of a variety of neuropsychological and educational tests to identify strengths and weaknesses and I use the results to understand the individual’s processing and to properly diagnose if a diagnosis is warranted. I then create a treatment plan tailored to the individual’s specific needs. Such treatment might include cognitive rehabilitation, behavior management, psychotherapy, speech or language therapy, occupational therapy, or assistance by a learning specialist as well as assistance through community programs. A thorough report is written and is discussed with the client(s). The treatment plan will be different for each individual, depending on what they feel they need and the results of the assessment.
