Reply to Anyone regret getting child a neuropsych. eval.?

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Reply to "Anyone regret getting child a neuropsych. eval.?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We found it helpful. One DS was tested at six years old and it put us on the right track immediately. He has dyslexia and it was very helpful to push us to get the right intervention and really lean into it. It’s made all the difference in the world.

The 2nd DS was a bit of a surprise. We didn’t know what the heck was going on with him and got him tested when he was 10 because we thought he had dyslexia because of the genetic factor. Nope. Very very much ADHD. We didn’t know what ADHD could look like and thought it was x when it can be y, z, and m. Almost off the charts. Reading intervention/tutoring would do zero for all that and the only thing that helped him academically and socially is stimulants. He’s in such a better place now and he has an improved understanding of his reactions and impulses.

None of the above would have been possible without the neuro-psych. [/quote]

You don’t need a “full neuropsych” to diagnose the issues you listed. [/quote]

You are correct. With the first one, we did the psycho educational testing instead. But with the second one, we absolutely needed the full neuropysch. Trust me.[/quote]

Not sure why? ADHD is not actually diagnosed through neuropsychological tests (or exclusively that way). [/quote]

How often do you post here? How many times do people have to explain to you that some cases do need a clinician to spend a lot of time with the child and reviewing documents and questionnaires to diagnose. Like with my kid, the cognitive testing showed she was solidly average in everything except one area and that contributed to the diagnosis in addition to the condition specific diagnostic assessment.

Sometimes early intervention doesn't matter. But it often does and to get it (either for insurance to pay or just to know your kid needs it) you need a diagnosis, the earlier the better. That might mean getting the diagnosis before it is obvious to a pediatrician who might spend 15 minutes with a kid 2-3 times per year.[/quote]

How many times do you need to be told that what you described is neither necessary nor sufficient to diagnose ADHD? [/quote]

You're not listening. Number 1 I am not talking about ADHD. I am a DP. Number 2, you seem to think only people with straightforward cases should be diagnosed, and that is wrong and harmful.[/quote]

No. I am saying that a diagnosis (straightforward or not) does not require the generic, expensive battery of cognitive tests commonly called a “full neuropsych.” [/quote]

I’m not the PP but what would you suggest instead?[/quote]

I would ask the person offering the “full neuropsych” to list each test they are going to do and explain the function and how the outcome will affect your child’s treatment plan/therapy. But preferably, I would start with therapy for the obvious challenges then explore what kind of diagnostic assessment needs to be made. Then I would research the best practices for the various possible diagnoses. It’s never going to be one size fits all. [/quote]
I am the PP and I and everyone else I know in our situation got therapy for the obvious challenges first. I don't understand why you are promoting this narrative where people are just wandering into neuropsych practices for no reason. [/quote]

I mean, I’m not the one who posted this thread. Clearly a lot of other people agree. I’m sure in some cases it is indicated but the knee-jerk “pay $8000 for a full neuropsych” advice is misleading. And also the reason why places like Children have had to outright say that they won’t schedule neuropsychs except for the kids that really need them (eg epilepsy or brain tumor). [/quote]

Institutions like Children's and KKI have had to limit their criteria for evaluations because of the immense need creating unmanageably long wait-lists. You make it sound like they looked at their multiple years long wait-lists and thought, "these people don't really need evaluations" instead of "we do not have the capacity to serve all these people so we need to prioritize".

You also seem to think it's fine to delay accurate diagnosis. It can be tough to untangle multiple concerns like social issues, learning issues and mental health issues. The time it takes to do that costs money.[/quote]

I absolutely think Children’s and KKI looked through their waitlist and realized that a good percentage don’t need the full neuropsych testing.

AGAIN  - the point I am making is not about diagnosis but the belief that an expensive, resource intensive “full neuropsych” is the only way to get a diagnosis. Most of us have limited financial resources and it is better to spend them on therapy and focused assessment. [/quote]

It's obviously not the only way in general to get n ADHD or ASD or other diagnosis. Nobody has said that. But it is the only way to get correct diagnoses for some kids and it gives more than that, specifically recommendations for supports that are specific to a kid based on a comprehensive look at their needs.[/quote]

You totally understand what a “neuropsych” is (probably because there is no standard meaning). It is not some super duper diagnostic technology better than others. It does not generate recommendations for your particular kid. It is a battery of cognitive tests. [/quote]

It's honestly unclear what you think neuropsychological testing is. I asked Perplexity to define it for you. I hope this clears up your confusion. You're welcome.

[/quote]Neuropsychological testing usually involves an interview, review of history/records, and a series of standardized tasks that measure attention, memory, language, processing speed, reasoning, executive skills, and sometimes mood or behavior ���. It does not usually involve anything invasive like needles, and it is used to understand how thinking and brain function may be affecting daily life ��.
What it usually includes
A typical evaluation may ask you to:
Answer questions about symptoms and daily functioning ��.
Do paper-and-pencil or computer-based tasks involving memory, problem-solving, language, and attention ��.
Sometimes complete questionnaires, and have the clinician review medical or school records ���.
About the report
In most cases, yes — it results in a written report ���. That report usually summarizes the tests, your strengths and weaknesses, and the clinician’s interpretation; it often includes recommendations, such as treatment referrals, school/work accommodations, or follow-up evaluations ����.
Is it always recommendations?
Not always in the same form. The report usually includes recommendations, but what those recommendations look like depends on the reason for testing and the clinician’s practice setting ���. Sometimes recommendations are very specific, and sometimes the report is more focused on describing cognitive strengths/weaknesses and supporting a diagnosis or treatment plan ��.
Practical expectation
A neuropsychological evaluation often takes several hours, and many clinics schedule a later feedback session to go over the results and recommendations ��. If the testing was ordered for a specific concern, the report is usually tailored to that question rather than being a generic summary ��.
[b]A helpful rule of thumb: the testing answers “how are these brain-based skills working?”, and the report usually answers “what does this mean, and what should happen next?” ��[/b].[quote][/quote]

You think AI stop is convincing?[/quote]

I think it is all you deserve in response to you claiming getting a neuropsych doesn't give you specific recommendations for your kid.[/quote]

I am not the PP you responded to. People should understand that doing a neuropsych does not necessarily provide any helpful information.[/quote]

I think most people understand that not every neuropsych is awesome. Just like not every doctor is awesome or helpful. But neuropsychs are supposed to result in a report with recommendations. They might not be helpful recommendations and you may not feel they reflect your child's specific needs, but that is what the neuropsych is supposed to do. Some do run more successfully than others.[/quote]

They aren’t “supposed to” anything. There is no standardized “neuropsych.” [/quote]

I have had 3 kids get neuropsychological evaluations, with different concerns for each kid. The main battery of evaluations was the same for all... I can dig up the list if someone wants to know. There were additional assessments for each based on what the presenting symptoms were - anxiety, adhd symptoms, language processing. Yes, there is no standard neuropsych, but it's not a random assortment of tests. IQ, Executive functioning, working memory, academic achievement, visual motor integration... these are all part of a standard neuropsychological assessment. Also, it's easy to get an ADHD diagnosis from a pediatrician with Vanderbilt questionnaires, but if you don't know what the problem is, a full exam is much more helpful.[/quote]

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