Neuropsychological Assessments of Students

Comprehensive psychological assessments of children, adolescents, and adult students identify the stumbling blocks to the student's success and recommend ways the student's strengths can be used in treatment, remediation or accommodation. 

Being a successful student requires integration of a number of physical, cognitive, academic and emotional self-regulation skills.  Difficulties in any area can have a negative effect on other domains.  For example, a child's difficulty with attention could impair his ability to learn as well as his ability to make friends, and this could lead to problems with mood and self-esteem.  A neuropsychological evaluation can provide clarity around the contribution of intellectual, achievement, information processing, emotional, and environmental contributions to the student's difficulties.  It will include recommendations for the student, parents, teachers, and, where relevant, physicians and mental health providers.

What to expect

I will work with you to develop clarity about the questions you would like the assessment to answer.  Some common questions include:

Why is my child having difficulty in school?
What makes reading so hard?
Why can’t she or he focus?
Why does it take my child so long to complete written assignments?
Does my child have ADHD?
What should the treatment plan be given all the problems my child is facing?
Does my child have a learning disorder?
Should I apply for accommodations for standardized testing?
What can we do to support our child's intellectual and social development?
What can I do to cope better with the resources I have?

I have assessed students for a variety of challenges and disorders, including:

  • Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Reading Disorder
  • Writing Disorder
  • Math Disorder
  • Intellectual Disability
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (including Asperger's Disorder)
  • Depressive Disorders (including Major Depression and Persistent Depressed Mood)
  • Anxiety Disorders (including Social Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety, etc.)
  • Bipolar Disorder
  • Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  • Mild to Moderate Cognitive Impairment due to brain trauma or seizure disorders
  • Executive Functioning Disorder

I am also able to identify when a student's problems are related to poor study habits, low motivation, or difficulty managing stress.

I will start with a detailed clinical interview.  Depending on the referral question, I will assess the following domains of functioning: intelligence, academic achievement, visuospatial processing, motor functioning, attention, learning and memory, executive functioning, social and emotional functioning. I will look for areas of strength as well as areas of challenge.  I will use the results to make recommendations for treatment, accommodations, things the student can do independently, and ways the family can support the student in functioning better. 

How to get started

Call Dr. Alexis Smith-Baumann at (925) 324-1593 for a free 15-minute consultation to discuss whether a neuropsychological assessment would be appropriate for your situation.