Referrals - Who refers and why?

• Parents – parents often reach out for a neuropsychological evaluation when they notice that their child’s academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and/or cognitive development seems different than their siblings, or same age peers. Perhaps interventions have been tried without satisfactory success, or parents do not know where to start with interventions without understanding why the child is struggling. This is when a neuropsychological evaluation is helpful. The evaluation illuminates the underlying cause of the child’s struggle and provides evidence based recommendations for how to help a child reach their full potential across environments.

• Physicians – physicians such as pediatricians, neurologists, and psychiatrists often refer for testing to obtain a greater understanding of a child’s neurocognitive strengths and weaknesses, and assist with intervention planning. Neuropsychological evaluations involve many specialized measures as well as hours of time with the child and family that can yield more comprehensive information than possible in a typical medical appointment.

• Allied Health Professionals- speech therapists who work to improve children’s communication skills as well as occupational therapists who seek to improve children’s fine and gross motor skills typically refer for a neuropsychological evaluation to obtain a holistic and comprehensive view of a child’s neurocognitive profile as well as assist with diagnostic and intervention planning.

• Teachers/Educators – teachers and other educational professionals have first hand knowledge of a child’s learning, social, and behavioral functioning. These educators often refer for a neuropsychological evaluation when a child is not responding to typical interventions or curriculum and they would like further information regarding why the child is struggling and how to best help them based on information gleaned from the evaluation.