Neuropsychological Testing
At Mindspring Development Services, we conduct comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations to help parents and schools gain clarity around a youth's neurocognitive, social, emotional and behavioral functioning.
This approach allows us to understand a child’s unique strengths, challenges and potential diagnoses in order to provide tailored recommendations to ensure the child receives the resources needed to succeed in school and daily life.
When to Consider Neuropsychological Testing
Lack of Clarity
When traditional school-based evaluations are not appropriate to evaluate for the suspected areas of disability, or they have not provided a deep enough understanding of a child’s needs.
Need a Second Opinion
Sometimes parents and schools decide they need a third party opinion to assist with the diagnostic and/or program development process.
Recovering from brain injury
Recovering from brain injury: After a traumatic brain injury, parents, physicians, and schools often need a way to better understand the impact of the injury on the youth’s development.
Monitoring Pogress
After an initial diagnosis, parents and schools look to measure progress with objective measures. When a student has not made reasonable educational and/or developmental progress, reevaluation is often conducted by a third party outside of school staff. Progress monitoring is also completed privately when parents are seeking an unbiased opinion regarding if their child is prepared for a step down in services or declassification from special education.
Significant health changes
Students with health issues, such as certain cancers, genetic conditions, or mental illness, may need a thorough understanding of their neurocognitive strengths and weaknesses in comparison to their baseline functioning to determine future supports needed.
Areas Evaluated with a Neuropsychological Evaluation
Cognition
Measured intelligence is a predictor of learning. An overall IQ score is calculated, although more importantly, the child’s profile of scores (verbal reasoning, nonverbal reasoning, visual-spatial skills, memory, processing speed) can be predictive of specific disabilities.
Language
Measures of receptive language (understanding and following instructions) and expressive language (speaking in sentences or narratives, grammar, vocabulary, and tone) are included. Pragmatic language, or social language use and response is also assessed if an area of concern.
Fine Motor Functioning
We assess fine motor skills through activities that measure handwriting abilities (graphomotor skills), dexterity, and coordination. This helps us understand any challenges in fine motor planning that may impact learning or daily life tasks.
Attention
Attention is evaluated through rating scales, direct testing, and observations. Rating scales provide insight into real-life attention regulation across settings, while direct testing measures short- and longer-term focus, as well as response to distractions. Observations during testing help assess how a child manages transitions and different activity demands.
Executive Functioning
Executive functioning includes cognitive tasks like planning, organizing, problem-solving, and self-monitoring, as well as behavioral regulation like impulse control. Emotional regulation, or the ability to manage feelings appropriately, also falls under executive functioning, as it influences focus and attention.
Memory & Learning
This testing evaluates both immediate and delayed recall for verbal and visual information. Observing how a child learns new material in a controlled setting provides insight into their memory strengths and learning process.
Development Skills
Development skills are evaluated through rating scales, interviews, and observations. We assess social interactions, emotional regulation, adaptive skills, and behavior. Parent, teacher, and self-reports (when possible) give a complete picture of how a child navigates different environments.
Other Qualitative Components
We conduct interviews with parents, teachers, other professionals and the child as well as, to understand their perspective on their own strengths and challenges. We also gather information through testing observations, and a review of records such as report cards, prior evaluations, and IEPs or 504 plans to capture a full picture of the child’s functioning across settings.
Our Neuropsychological Testing Process
Initial Consultation Call
This 15-minute call is designed to answer any questions and figure out whether neuropsychological testing is the right fit for your needs.
Intake Call
This is a one-hour call where we aim to understand all concerns and capture a complete history of the child.
Evaluation Sessions
Three appointments will take place, each of approximately two to three hours in length. The sessions take place in-person, during the day, at our office in Waldwick, New Jersey in Bergen County.
Report
After the last evaluation session, we deliver a comprehensive report that outlines all our testing and provides a series of recommendations for how to best support the youth’s unique strengths and weaknesses.
Follow-Up Meeting
For parent scheduled evaluations, a virtual parent conference is held approximately two to three weeks after the last testing session to provide additional context and answer any questions about the report. Schools contracting the evaluation have an option to have the report reviewed with the parents and school team.
FAQs
Neuropsychological Testing Frequently Asked Questions
We evaluate children as young as two years of age when there are developmental concerns for the child meeting milestones. Neuropsychological evaluations are most commonly sought, though, for preschool and school-aged children. We tailor assessments to the child’s age, developmental level, and areas of concern.
Prior to the evaluation sessions, intake forms will be provided to you to complete in advance. Records will also be requested for you to forward in advance. We’ll provide specific guidance based on your child’s needs before the evaluation. Ensure your child is well-rested, has eaten, and feels as comfortable as possible. Feel free to bring your child something to drink and a snack for each session’s break.
Not all evaluations lead to a diagnosis. The primary goal is to understand your child’s unique strengths and weaknesses. If a diagnosable condition is identified, we’ll provide a clear explanation and recommendations for support.
Our office does not participate with any insurance companies. We can provide you with procedure codes if you would like to reach out to your insurance to determine if you have any potential out-of-network benefits that may provide you reimbursement after the evaluation process is completed. We do not speak directly with insurance companies, but please let the office know as soon as possible if there is a form to fill out for precertification. We provide an itemized invoice after the evaluation process, as well.
