EVALUATIONS

The entire evaluation process from the initial appointment to the follow up, can be anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks depending on schedule availability.

The evaluation process is typically 3 appointments. For details regarding each of the visit fees please go to the "Visit Rates" page) 1. The initial visit will be with the child and parent(s) attending. These appointments are generally done via Zoom.

This appointment gives the provider a chance to learn what has been happening and what your concerns are, as well as any background information that may be relevant. The provider will then talk with the parents about what the next steps will be.

2. The second visit will be for the recommended testing and can be 2-4 hours in length depending on the testing protocols that are done. This will be in person, usually on a school day in the morning. Parent or Guardian must stay on premise for the duration of the testing.

3. The third visit is for parents to discuss testing results and recommendations. These appointments are generally done via Zoom. Ordinarily, the child does not need to attend this appointment. In come cases depending on the nature of the concerns, formal testing may not be needed or may be done as the child ages. In those cases the doctor may have parents/teachers complete questionnaires and have them come back for a follow up.

In some cases testing may be helpful to determine the correct diagnosis for a child, or to determine if there are developmental, emotional or behavioral problems that are contributing to their current difficulties (e.g., autism spectrum disorders, depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc.). The nature of the presenting concern will determine the amount and duration of testing that may be necessary. Opportunity for follow- up and written report will be provided to families.

Most cases of ADHD and ADD can be diagnosed by observation, clinical history, and parent/teacher reports. However, some parents may wish to obtain additional information to help them feel more confident about the correct diagnosis, or to use when making decisions related to treatment and intervention. To meet this need, KCPA offers ADHD/ADD testing to examine IQ, short-term memory, sustained attention, impulse control, processing speed, mental flexibility, planning/problem solving, and emotional adjustment. An in-person feedback session, as well as a written report of the results and recommendations, will be provided to families afterward.

Neuropsychological evaluations are usually conducted when there is concern that a medical condition or injury (e.g., epilepsy, brain trauma, stroke, insufficient oxygen/birth complications, or other neurological conditions) may have an impact on brain functioning. These are comprehensive evaluations designed to measure many different cognitive skills including IQ, short- and long-term memory, language, fine motor dexterity, visual perception, attention, impulse control, processing speed, executive functioning, and academic skills. Recommendations for intervention and/or compensatory strategies are developed based on the results of the testing. Neuropsychological evaluations may be broken up into two or more testing sessions, and may take 4-6 hours total, depending on the needs of the child. Opportunity for follow-up and a written report will be provided to families.

KCPA offers psychoeducational evaluations (testing) to help identify why a child may be having difficulty learning at school. This type of evaluation may help identify specific learning disorders such as Dyslexia (reading problems), Dysgraphia (writing problems), and Dyscalculia (math problems). However, at KCPA we go beyond the mere identification of learning disorders and closely examine specific cognitive processes that may be contributing to the overall problem. Our evaluation will meet requirements for discrepancy-based models of learning disorders, as well as Response-To-Intervention models. We work with families to take what is identified during testing and translate the results into practical goals and recommendations for intervention and remediation, at school and/or through private sources as needed. Assessments commonly look at IQ, academic skills, short-term memory, attention, fine motor dexterity and motor planning, phonological processing and emotional adjustment. Each evaluation is tailored to the unique needs of the child. Psychoeducational evaluations typically take 2-6 hours. An in-person feedback session, as well as a written report of the results and recommendations, will be provided to families afterward.

A comprehensive autism evaluation can assist in confirming whether or not a child has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and can help determine if there are any additional problems or diagnoses that are also present (for example, ADHD, a learning disorder, anxiety, etc.). This kind of evaluation can be particularly important when a child has mild symptoms of autism that could be attributed to something else, or when people disagree on whether autism is present or not. A comprehensive autism evaluation can also ensure that a child’s treatment plan is targeting all of their needs in a thorough manner. Some insurance companies may also require this kind of evaluation in order to establish the medical necessity of expensive treatments like Applied Behavior Analysis, before coverage will be approved. Autism evaluations at KCPA typically involve an initial clinical interview with the child and caregiver(s), review of any relevant records, and administration of assessment tools. The latter typically include a variety of performance-based processing/problem-solving tests (e.g., IQ, language skills, academic skills) and standardized parent (and teacher if applicable) rating scales. Informal or structured (ADOS-2) play activities and other methods are also utilized to assess the child’s social interactions including nonverbal communication, social engagement, reciprocal language use, social perspective-taking, and social judgement/problem-solving. Most children can complete this portion over the course of one visit, but if this proves to be too challenging, it can be broken up into smaller segments. The provider will then meet with the family to review the results and conclusions, and to discuss a treatment plan if indicated. A written report is usually provided, at a later date.