Autism Evaluation

It depends. All insurance plans have different benefits so you may want to check and see if your plan covers the type of testing services you need. Typically, if the testing question isn’t a health care issue, insurance companies will not cover the evaluation. We will provide you with an itemized receipt called a ‘superbill’ that will have all the necessary codes and dates of service for you to submit your plan for possible reimbursement.

Your results session with your psychologist occurs 3 weeks after your last testing appointment.See “What Happens at the Results Session?” for further information.

Absolutely! We understand that sometimes academic entrance exams and accommodations testing deadlines vary and can sneak up on you. Please inquire at our office about our expedited service to receive your report in the timeframe necessary to meet your deadline. We will strive to help reduce your stress level that these evaluations create.

Sadly, no. However, our licensed psychologists have years of experience providing evaluations for possible accommodations for the ISEE, ACT, SAT, MCAT, LSAT, and bar exam, just to name a few. We know what specific tests are required and what information must be included in the report (that is required and specific to each testing agency) to support a possible accommodation recommendation, like extended time.

No. If your child is scheduled for a 4-hour evaluation, many of our parents will leave to run errands, make other appointments, and then return near the end of their child’s testing session. We do ask that parents stay for the first hour in our waiting room, just to be sure their child is comfortable. Additionally, parents usually will be provided forms and questionnaires to complete that day while their child is testing.

Yes. The divorce decree will spell out the consenting rights of each parent. We must review it in order to be sure your rights are being properly met as we abide by the law.

No. We refuse to compromise on the level of quality care we provide our clients. You can find more detailed information on our Fees and Insurance pages.

We ask that you bring with you completed intake paperwork from this site to your first appointment. However, if you were unable to do so, we ask you bring it to the testing appointment. Additionally, please bring photocopies of any previous assessments.
For school-aged children, please bring copies of all their report cards. If you bring the originals, be sure you ask for them when you leave your results session.
Feel free to bring favorite snacks and drinks during the evaluation!
If you or your child is on medication, your psychologist will advise you at the initial consultation whether or not to be medicated for the evaluation.

Absolutely not. There are many reasons parents, students, and adults come to us for an evaluation. A psychoeducational assessment is beneficial to any student of any age because it helps to identify which areas are strong and should be further developed, and which areas are weak and in need of support. We always tell our clients, “Don’t assume. Instead, let us get you answers.” Each of us learns differently so having a clear and statistically supported understanding of your or your child’s profile can help you or your child excel academically in life!

Yes, whether the student was found to have a learning disability or not, the report will describe in detail the processing strengths of the student and exactly what processes need to be addressed by both parents and the school. The more important part of the report is the appropriate interventions and recommendations that have proven to be effective in minimizing the learning difficulties. Please see “Follow Up after the Results Session” for more information.

While there are some possible problems with being ‘tagged’, so to speak, the benefits far outweigh the risks. First, your child and his classmates already know that he has a learning problem. Getting the appropriate and accurate diagnosis with good feedback can assure your child that he is not stupid, as many children with learning problems mistakenly assume. Like everyone else, there are some things they are good at and some things they are not so good at.

Furthermore, having been identified with a learning difference in the current public education system ensures that your child will get the support and accommodations they need, at least the best that the school can provide given their limited resources. In most public schools, without the tag or label, a student cannot get the available support they qualify for to achieve up to their potential (e.g., extra time on exams, use of computer technology to facilitate reading and writing, etc).

All of the Wechsler assessment instruments are formed in four-month increments so children are compared with their own age group at the time they are evaluated. For example, a child evaluated in August is compared against different norms than the same child evaluated in January. There is no material benefit to waiting until your child is older to have him/her evaluated.

You might consider telling your child something like, “We are going to do some things that will help your mom/dad decide what will be a really good school for you next year.” Or you might say “You are going to do some interesting things that will help you in class”. This lets your child know the purpose of the activities. It is best to avoid the word “test.” Your child should expect to do various activities, each of which takes about 5-10 minutes. Most children find the activities fun.

All private school applicants are required to participate in an individual evaluation. The evaluation will help the school determine the academic environment and class placement that are in the best interest of the student. Every private school has their own specialty and it helps parents in finding the right fit by knowing their child’s cognitive, intellectual, emotional, social and behavioral strengths and weaknesses. The evaluation measures verbal abilities, nonverbal reasoning, short-term/working memory, and visual/fine-motor skills.

In addition, both the WPPSI and the WISC provides a Full-Scale IQ Score. Taken as a whole, results should help assess your child’s abilities, school readiness, and learning style. Of course, other factors besides the test results will be considered in making this decision. Sometimes results are used to help the school determine which classroom or teacher would be most appropriate for your child.

Most children score within the ‘average range’, which means that their cognitive development is within normal limits for what we expect of someone their age. Due to practice effects, your child cannot be re-tested using the same instrument for one year. You can choose to have your child re-tested using a different test; however, most schools discourage re-testing.

Yes, in fact, we do. We have 3 licensed psychologists who are certified to administer and interpret the ADOS, which is the gold standard in assessing for autism through adulthood. We use the ADOS as part of a comprehensive evaluation tailored to address your specific needs that have prompted you to request an autism evaluation as an adult.

Yes, all the time. Children with untreated ADHD grow up to be adults who experience difficulty in relationships and work and often find their self-esteem being impacted as a result.