What are the benefits of an evaluation?

Children are referred for an evaluation for a variety of reasons. They may be depressed or anxious, have attention problems, struggle academically, or seem behind their peers developmentally. Your child's strengths and areas of need will specifically be addressed and recommendations will be made to help your child achieve their highest potential.  You will be provided with a written report that includes testing results, diagnosis, recommendations for school services, recommendations for parents, and recommendations for services in the community.

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How much does an evaluation cost?

The cost of an evaluation varies depending on the type of assessment, the extensiveness of the evaluation, and the age of your child.  Please email or call our office for more information on rates.  

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What is the process for an evaluation?

1. Contact our office to schedule an initial diagnostic interview.  
    

2. Log on to the client portal and complete all required paperwork prior to your initial appointment.  
    

3. Email, fax, or mail a copy of your child’s most recent evaluations, IEP, 504, behavioral plan, and grades prior to your appointment.  Also bring any legal paperwork, if applicable, such as custody paperwork or divorce decree.  You can also bring copies to your initial intake.  
    

4. The first step of an evaluation is a diagnostic interview.  This initial appointment is for parents and guardians only. Please do not bring your child this appointment as we want parents to be able to talk freely about concerns and symptoms.  At this appointment, we will determine what your goals are for the evaluation, what questions you hope to have answered, and what testing will be completed to answer these questions.  
    

5. Next, we will schedule an appointment for your child to complete testing and provide you and teachers rating scales to be complete prior to testing.  We will also schedule school observation and other interviews that are needed to better understand your child. 
    

6. Once the observations, interviews, testing, and rating scales are completed and returned to our office, we will score all information and write a written report.  We will schedule a time for you to return to the office to review the results of the evaluation.  

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How should I prepare for the testing appointment?

Please bring your child’s glasses, hearing aids, communication devices, etc.  If your child typically takes medication, make sure they take their medication prior to their appointment. We want to be sure that the testing is completed while your child is at their best.  You can let your child know they will be working with a doctor who helps children with school, friends, and feelings. They will play different games and engage in fun activities to figure out how they learn best.  

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How long does testing take?

Testing typically takes 2-8 hours depending on the amount of testing that needs to be completed and the age of your child.  If the testing will be comprehensive, we will schedule testing over the course of 2-3 days. Your child will be given frequent breaks between tests to ensure we are achieving the best and most accurate results. For younger children, parents are typically involved in the testing process and will be in the office with the examiner and their child. 

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A feedback session will be scheduled 3-4 weeks after testing has been completed. During this session, we will discuss the results and diagnosis, as well as any recommendations and treatments that may be necessary.  You will be provided with a written evaluation report at this meeting. 

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Should my child come to the meeting where you review the results?

No, we recommend that parents attend the feedback session without their child. This allows parents to freely ask questions about the testing results, diagnosis, their child’s strengths and weaknesses, and future planning.  This meeting typically lasts about an hour. 

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We often recommend having a second meeting for older children to attend with their parents.  At this meeting, the focus is on providing positive feedback on the child’s performance and areas of strength. This meeting typically lasts about 30 minutes.