Psychoeducational Evaluations

posted in: Clinical Services

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Psychoeducational Testing

Psychoeducational testing helps describe how the brain and nervous system affect thought processes and behavior. Educators and school psychologists use psychoeducational testing to explain why some children have difficulty learning and processing language, or developing math, reading and other basic academic skills. Because a child or young adult with a neurologically related disability may not benefit from the same educational techniques as students with non-neurological disabilities, the application of neuropsychology in schools helps to ensure all students are served effectively.

A full school Psychoeducational Assessment includes testing in the following areas

  • Attention
  • Sensory Motor Development
  • Executive Functions
  • Language
  • Memory
  • Visual Spatial Processing
  • Academic testing in reading, writing & math
  • Emotional/Behavioral Assessment

Certain abilities may be measured in more detail than others, depending on the child’s needs. A detailed developmental history and data from the child’s teacher may also be obtained.  Observing your child to understand his or her motivation, cooperation, and behavior is a very important part of the evaluation.

Testing can explain why a student is having school problems. For example, a child may have difficulty reading because of an attention problem, a language disorder, an auditory processing problem, or a reading disability like Dyslexia.  Testing also guides professionals in determining interventions to draw upon your child’s strengths.  The results identify what skills to work on, as well as which strategies to use to help your child.

Testing can help detect the effects of developmental, neurological, and medical problems such as epilepsy, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or a genetic disorder.  Testing may be done to obtain a baseline against which to measure the outcome of treatment or the child’s development over time.

This kind of evaluation provides a better understanding of the individuals’ behavior and learning in school, at home, and in the community.  The evaluation can guide teachers, therapists, and you to better help your child achieve his or her potential.

Main questions to answer within an evaluation:

Why is the individual struggling?

What interventions, therapies and programs will help develop the necessary skills to succeed?

How can we coordinate interventions in the home, school, outside activities to train the whole brain?