• When should my child be referred for an evaluation?

  An evaluation may be helpful whenever there are concerns about a child’s learning, attention, development, behavior, social skills, emotional well-being, or overall functioning. Parents often seek an evaluation when a child is struggling academically, losing confidence, having difficulty focusing, experiencing anxiety, demonstrating behavioral challenges, or not meeting developmental milestones.

  For preschool-aged children, evaluations can clarify developmental concerns involving language, social communication, attention, play skills, and school readiness, including possible ADHD or an autism spectrum disorder. For school-age children, evaluations can provide insight into learning, attention, executive functioning, social-emotional development, and peer relationships, and identify conditions such as learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, anxiety, and mood disorders.

  An evaluation can provide answers, guide appropriate interventions, and help families better understand their child’s unique strengths and challenges.

  What is the difference between a developmental, psychoeducational, and neuropsychological evaluation?

  While there is some overlap among these types of evaluations, each serves a different purpose. During the initial consultation, I work closely with families to determine which type of evaluation will best address their child’s specific needs and referral questions.

  Developmental Evaluation
  Developmental evaluations are typically conducted with younger children (below age 5) and focus on areas such as language development, social communication, play skills, adaptive functioning, attention, and overall developmental progress. These evaluations can help identify developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, and other early childhood concerns.

  Psychoeducational Evaluation

  Psychoeducational evaluations focus on a child’s intellectual potential, learning, and academic achievement. They provide insight into academic strengths and weaknesses and may help identify learning disabilities.

  While psychoeducational evaluations are appropriate in certain circumstances, they are generally narrower in scope than neuropsychological evaluations. Because they focus primarily on cognition and academic functioning, they do not fully assess areas such as attention, executive functioning, memory, social-emotional functioning, or other developmental factors that can affect learning and school performance.

  Neuropsychological Evaluation
  Neuropsychological evaluations provide a more comprehensive assessment of the cognitive, academic, attentional, executive, memory, language, visual-spatial, processing speed, behavioral, and social-emotional factors that influence learning and daily functioning. These evaluations are often recommended when there are concerns regarding ADHD, executive functioning, autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities, anxiety, or when a child’s difficulties are complex and require a more in-depth understanding of the factors contributing to their challenges.

  By examining how various areas of functioning interact with one another, a neuropsychological evaluation provides a detailed understanding of a child’s strengths and weaknesses and helps guide educational planning, intervention, and treatment recommendations.

• Do you offer kindergarten readiness evaluations?

  Yes. Kindergarten readiness evaluations assess the developmental, cognitive, language, social-emotional, and early academic skills that support a successful transition to school. These evaluations can help families better understand a child’s strengths and areas of need, determine readiness for the academic and social demands of kindergarten, and identify whether additional time, support, or intervention may be beneficial prior to school entry.

  Kindergarten readiness evaluations are particularly helpful when there are questions regarding school placement, developmental maturity, learning readiness, or whether a child would benefit from an additional year before beginning kindergarten. They can also help identify weaknesses in the foundational skills needed for reading acquisition, including early indicators of dyslexia and other learning challenges, allowing for intervention at an early age when it can be most effective.

• Do you accept insurance?

  I am an out-of-network provider and do not participate directly with insurance plans. Following the feedback session, families receive a detailed written report and a superbill that can be submitted to their insurance company for possible reimbursement if out-of-network benefits are available. I wait until the evaluation process is complete before issuing the superbill so that the appropriate diagnostic information can be included. Because reimbursement policies vary, families are encouraged to contact their insurance carrier directly to inquire about coverage.

• What types of concerns can an evaluation help identify?

  Evaluations can help clarify a wide range of developmental, learning, attention, social-emotional, and behavioral concerns. Common referral questions include ADHD, dyslexia and other learning disabilities, language disorders, autism spectrum disorders, executive functioning weaknesses, anxiety, school-related difficulties, giftedness, and questions about a child’s overall cognitive, academic, or social-emotional development. The goal is not simply to identify a diagnosis, but to understand your child’s unique strengths and challenges so that meaningful recommendations can be developed.

• Will the evaluation help my child obtain school accommodations or special education services?

  Comprehensive evaluations often provide important information that can help schools better understand a student’s needs. Recommendations may support requests for classroom accommodations, a Section 504 Plan, or special education services through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), when appropriate. While eligibility decisions are ultimately made by the school district, a thorough independent evaluation can provide valuable data to guide educational planning and advocacy.

• Do you work with schools, advocates, and other professionals?

  Yes. In addition to working directly with families, I frequently collaborate with schools, educational consultants, child advocates, physicians, therapists, lawyers, and other professionals involved in a child’s care. I am also sometimes retained by school districts to evaluate particularly complex cases and provide consultation regarding educational planning and diagnostic clarification. This collaborative approach helps ensure that recommendations are practical, coordinated, and tailored to the child’s needs

• What ages do you evaluate?

  I evaluate children and adolescents between the ages of 2½ and 17. My practice includes developmental evaluations for young children, as well as comprehensive neuropsychological, psychoeducational, and gifted evaluations for school-age children and teenagers.

• How long is the wait for an evaluation?

  Wait times vary depending on the time of year and the nature of the referral. The evaluation process begins with a parent consultation, which allows me to gather background information, discuss concerns, and determine the most appropriate evaluation plan. Following the consultation, families are offered the next available testing dates.

  Testing appointments are generally scheduled in the order in which consultations are completed. However, when cancellations occur or a child becomes ill and needs to reschedule, earlier testing appointments may become available. In these situations, available appointments are offered to families based on the order of their consultation.

  During the parent consultation, I will provide the most current estimate of scheduling availability and discuss anticipated timelines for testing, feedback, and report completion.

• How long does the evaluation process take?

  The evaluation process typically begins with a parent consultation to discuss your concerns and gather relevant developmental, educational, and medical history. Testing is generally completed over two sessions, depending on your child’s age and the referral questions. Once testing is complete and all relevant information has been received, a feedback session is typically provided within three to four weeks, along with a comprehensive written report detailing the findings and recommendations for home, school, and clinical settings. If a longer turnaround time is anticipated, families will be informed when testing is scheduled.

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