Anonymous wrote:05/31/2018 10:01---Op here, Thanks for the response. I would like to choose Option 3 but would like to visit where insurance can be covered. How a psychologist evaluation is different from Neuropsychologist and also with school-- can you please explain and any recommendations for the Neuropsych evaluation.
A psychologist will give you a "quick and dirty" diagnosis - basically a few visits with you and your child and perhaps some questionnaires. Few child psychologists take insurance. If you are considering medication, you can see a psychiatrist instead, but few of them will take insurance either.
Schools doa limited set of tests for educational impact, often including ADHD questionnairrs and observation of your child in the classroom. This often, bit not always catches ADHD, and if you get an incompetent school psychologist, you are out of luck.
Neuropsych testing is an extensive battery of psychological and educational testing that is most likely to catch ADHD as well as many other comorbid disorders and learning disabilities and give you profile of strengths and weaknesses. This is what costs $3500. Children's National Hospital is the nearest place that takes insurance. You would either go into DC or I think they have a NOVA office. The wait list is months long.
Ifmyour kid's symptoms are severe, I recommend getting on the waitlist for neuropsych ans see a psychiatrist in the meantime, you will probably need to medicate. If it's mild, see a psychologist and take it from there. They may recommend a neuropsych anyway, but in the meantime you can start treatment.