Pediatric Neuropsychology
Pediatric Neuropsychology is a professional specialty concerned with learning and behavior in relationship to a child’s or adolescent's brain. Neuropsychological testing attempts to explain why a child or adolescent is having learning and/or behavior problems. Different childhood disorders result in specific patterns of strengths and weaknesses. These profiles of abilities and disabilities can help identify a child or adolescent's disorder and the brain areas that are involved. The neuropsychological evaluation may help detect potential effects of various developmental, neurological, and medical problems (epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, speech/language impairment, infectious disease, or a genetic disorder) on an individual's functioning. Neuropsychological assessments frequently are requested for the purpose of diagnosing learning, social, or behavior disorders caused by altered brain function or development. Neuropsychological assessments may also be used to determine whether a child or adolescent may benefit from special education programs or therapies to enhance school performance. A typical neuropsychological evaluation of a school-age child or adolescent may assess the following areas:
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