Anyone regret getting child a neuropsych. eval.?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm convinced there's no such thing as "neurotypical". Our brains all work differently, and that's not a bad thing.

JFC. Do you think this bs will help any kid with disabilities at school? Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm convinced there's no such thing as "neurotypical". Our brains all work differently, and that's not a bad thing.

JFC. Do you think this bs will help any kid with disabilities at school? Seriously.

This thread has lost the point, primarily due to the responses like this one. Cut the drama, please.

But, I think PP who posted that there is no such thing as “neurotypical” should come and clarify. I take it that PP meant that we are all on the neurodivergence spectrum and, as such, there is no such thing as “neurotypical”.

I would agree with that statement, but to those being appalled, that fact does not imply that there are no different levels of neurodivergence in all of us. In many cases of ADHD and ASD impact on social and academic life is profound, and that requires significant supports both at home and school. Recognizing the fluidity of it all in complicated cases is the key when trying to figure out when additional supports and diagnosis are necessary and helpful. Add to this that without “diagnosis” health insurance will not pay for therapy and schools will not provide accommodations, and you end up with psychotherapists who don’t see any harm with over diagnosing or no harm with not being extra careful with testing. To me it seems like they are just trying to find “evidence” to support whatever diagnosis seems like a good fit, and then recommend a path for child to start getting some sort of a support. That is not a bad strategy on its own, as long as supports match the actual issues. The neuropsychological evaluation is worth every penny, when the evaluator takes time to understand why parents are paying an extravagant amount of money to help their child, and provide recommendations that will make a difference.

I also think that most of the counter arguments here are the people who regretted doing the evaluation (in a response to the original OPs question and original topic of this thread). I know that I am not trying to convince anyone not to do evaluation, but would definitely caution parents that it is not some sort of guaranteed objective feedback they might be hoping for. I wish we didn’t pursue it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm convinced there's no such thing as "neurotypical". Our brains all work differently, and that's not a bad thing.

JFC. Do you think this bs will help any kid with disabilities at school? Seriously.

This thread has lost the point, primarily due to the responses like this one. Cut the drama, please.

But, I think PP who posted that there is no such thing as “neurotypical” should come and clarify. I take it that PP meant that we are all on the neurodivergence spectrum and, as such, there is no such thing as “neurotypical”.

I would agree with that statement, but to those being appalled, that fact does not imply that there are no different levels of neurodivergence in all of us. In many cases of ADHD and ASD impact on social and academic life is profound, and that requires significant supports both at home and school. Recognizing the fluidity of it all in complicated cases is the key when trying to figure out when additional supports and diagnosis are necessary and helpful. Add to this that without “diagnosis” health insurance will not pay for therapy and schools will not provide accommodations, and you end up with psychotherapists who don’t see any harm with over diagnosing or no harm with not being extra careful with testing. To me it seems like they are just trying to find “evidence” to support whatever diagnosis seems like a good fit, and then recommend a path for child to start getting some sort of a support. That is not a bad strategy on its own, as long as supports match the actual issues. The neuropsychological evaluation is worth every penny, when the evaluator takes time to understand why parents are paying an extravagant amount of money to help their child, and provide recommendations that will make a difference.

I also think that most of the counter arguments here are the people who regretted doing the evaluation (in a response to the original OPs question and original topic of this thread). I know that I am not trying to convince anyone not to do evaluation, but would definitely caution parents that it is not some sort of guaranteed objective feedback they might be hoping for. I wish we didn’t pursue it.

Your bolded is just to perpetuating a myth. There is nothing that makes a neuropsychologist especially skilled and qualified in making recommendations for therapy and supports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm convinced there's no such thing as "neurotypical". Our brains all work differently, and that's not a bad thing.

JFC. Do you think this bs will help any kid with disabilities at school? Seriously.

This thread has lost the point, primarily due to the responses like this one. Cut the drama, please.

But, I think PP who posted that there is no such thing as “neurotypical” should come and clarify. I take it that PP meant that we are all on the neurodivergence spectrum and, as such, there is no such thing as “neurotypical”.

I would agree with that statement, but to those being appalled, that fact does not imply that there are no different levels of neurodivergence in all of us. In many cases of ADHD and ASD impact on social and academic life is profound, and that requires significant supports both at home and school. Recognizing the fluidity of it all in complicated cases is the key when trying to figure out when additional supports and diagnosis are necessary and helpful. Add to this that without “diagnosis” health insurance will not pay for therapy and schools will not provide accommodations, and you end up with psychotherapists who don’t see any harm with over diagnosing or no harm with not being extra careful with testing. To me it seems like they are just trying to find “evidence” to support whatever diagnosis seems like a good fit, and then recommend a path for child to start getting some sort of a support. That is not a bad strategy on its own, as long as supports match the actual issues. The neuropsychological evaluation is worth every penny, when the evaluator takes time to understand why parents are paying an extravagant amount of money to help their child, and provide recommendations that will make a difference.

I also think that most of the counter arguments here are the people who regretted doing the evaluation (in a response to the original OPs question and original topic of this thread). I know that I am not trying to convince anyone not to do evaluation, but would definitely caution parents that it is not some sort of guaranteed objective feedback they might be hoping for. I wish we didn’t pursue it.

Your bolded is just to perpetuating a myth. There is nothing that makes a neuropsychologist especially skilled and qualified in making recommendations for therapy and supports.

Ok. Who is then qualified?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm convinced there's no such thing as "neurotypical". Our brains all work differently, and that's not a bad thing.

JFC. Do you think this bs will help any kid with disabilities at school? Seriously.

This thread has lost the point, primarily due to the responses like this one. Cut the drama, please.

But, I think PP who posted that there is no such thing as “neurotypical” should come and clarify. I take it that PP meant that we are all on the neurodivergence spectrum and, as such, there is no such thing as “neurotypical”.

I would agree with that statement, but to those being appalled, that fact does not imply that there are no different levels of neurodivergence in all of us. In many cases of ADHD and ASD impact on social and academic life is profound, and that requires significant supports both at home and school. Recognizing the fluidity of it all in complicated cases is the key when trying to figure out when additional supports and diagnosis are necessary and helpful. Add to this that without “diagnosis” health insurance will not pay for therapy and schools will not provide accommodations, and you end up with psychotherapists who don’t see any harm with over diagnosing or no harm with not being extra careful with testing. To me it seems like they are just trying to find “evidence” to support whatever diagnosis seems like a good fit, and then recommend a path for child to start getting some sort of a support. That is not a bad strategy on its own, as long as supports match the actual issues. The neuropsychological evaluation is worth every penny, when the evaluator takes time to understand why parents are paying an extravagant amount of money to help their child, and provide recommendations that will make a difference.

I also think that most of the counter arguments here are the people who regretted doing the evaluation (in a response to the original OPs question and original topic of this thread). I know that I am not trying to convince anyone not to do evaluation, but would definitely caution parents that it is not some sort of guaranteed objective feedback they might be hoping for. I wish we didn’t pursue it.

Your bolded is just to perpetuating a myth. There is nothing that makes a neuropsychologist especially skilled and qualified in making recommendations for therapy and supports.

Ok. Who is then qualified?

There’s no one magic person. I suggest specialists in the particular area. Our educational consultant with a teaching background was best for IEP. math tutor (former math teacher) for math. Behavioral therapist for behavioral issues. OT for OT.

[Anonymous]

^ And I am not being sarcastic. It is a genuine question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ And I am not being sarcastic. It is a genuine question.

Posted too fast and just saw the response. I was actually wondering whether what you described might be a better approach. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Do any neuropsych evals ever come back and say the child is neurotypical? Has anyone here actually had that outcome for their own child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any neuropsych evals ever come back and say the child is neurotypical? Has anyone here actually had that outcome for their own child?

Yes I know multiple people whose were told their kids just had anxiety

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any neuropsych evals ever come back and say the child is neurotypical? Has anyone here actually had that outcome for their own child?

Nope, my psychologist said my kid did not have neurotypical traits and instead diagnosed them with that useless social pragmatic whatever disorder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any neuropsych evals ever come back and say the child is neurotypical? Has anyone here actually had that outcome for their own child?

Not anyone I know.

Most of the time, there is something parents are concerned about and evaluator confirms it. That would be a win-win.

But in some instances evaluators tried to cherry pick information just to come up with a random diagnosis that, only to them, kind of makes sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any neuropsych evals ever come back and say the child is neurotypical? Has anyone here actually had that outcome for their own child?

Not anyone I know.

Most of the time, there is something parents are concerned about and evaluator confirms it. That would be a win-win.

But in some instances evaluators tried to cherry pick information just to come up with a random diagnosis that, only to them, kind of makes sense.

What makes you say this? Is this from what other parents have told you? Or just shameless speculation?

[Anonymous]

We only got a neuropsych because multiple therapists who had worked with my kid suspected autism but they weren't 100% sure and could not diagnose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do any neuropsych evals ever come back and say the child is neurotypical? Has anyone here actually had that outcome for their own child?

Not anyone I know.

Most of the time, there is something parents are concerned about and evaluator confirms it. That would be a win-win.

But in some instances evaluators tried to cherry pick information just to come up with a random diagnosis that, only to them, kind of makes sense.

What makes you say this? Is this from what other parents have told you? Or just shameless speculation?

Our own firsthand observation with one of the providers, and some of the friends shared the information in sufficient detail.

I think that evaluators who are insecure with their own work are sometimes either unwilling to admit that they don’t have an answer or are ashamed to admit they made a mistake. And, please don’t feign a surprise that this happens and that parents sometimes don’t have to look for second opinions because the first one did not make sense.

It is OK not to have an answer and propose additional testing or wait-and-see approach if applicable. What is not OK is to rush to give an opinion prematurely, or to ignore evidence that contradicts their diagnosis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do any neuropsych evals ever come back and say the child is neurotypical? Has anyone here actually had that outcome for their own child?

Me, so I've debated answering the OP that yes, I regret getting it (though I really don't).

I wanted my 13yo screened for inattentive ADHD largely for my own sanity, not for any academic accommodations. Child does well in school, but hyperfocuses on a few interests, is emotionally reactive and really struggles with following instructions (acknowledges them, but immediately spaces and forgets nine times out of ten). Executive function almost nonexistent. I was hoping to confirm that these tendencies were outside the realm of normal (I have other kids for whom all of these traits apply occasionally, but not this consistently) and hopefully get guidance/strategies in place before the higher demands of high school.

Neuropsych concluded bright kid, no ADHD. Which still, honestly, makes no sense to me.