A neuropsychological evaluation is designed to assess how the brain functions in a variety of situations. Neuropsychological evaluations are comprised of an interview and series of performance-based tests and questionnaires. The tests performed are typically paper and pencil tests, with some of the tests requiring verbal responses to confirm answers.
Testing is divided into three portions: the interview, psychological testing and neurocognitive testing. The interview involves our psychologist or one of the psychological professionals on our team asking questions about symptoms and other relevant background information. We then test for personality and mental health disorders, as these disorders can contribute to impaired cognitive functioning and sometimes imitate neurological or medical conditions. If these disorders are present, we can then determine the impact they might have upon cognitive functioning. Lastly, we perform neurocognitive testing to measure the functioning of your brain in areas such as attention span, memory, visual-spatial reasoning, language, processing speed and fine motor functioning. The purpose of the evaluation is to assess how the brain functions when asked to perform in various ways. This determines the course of medical or mental health treatment that may be required to live a functioning, independent life.
Testing can take up to four to eight hours to complete, so parents should be prepared to bring anything they think will be helpful for the child during their evaluation. If you would like to learn more about neuropsychological evaluations in Glenwood Springs, Rifle and Grand Junction, Colorado, or would like to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Nichole Swann and our team, please call Pediatric Psychology Services of Colorado today at 970-665-4744!