Often you may need the help of a neuropsychologist to learn about cognitive difficulties your child is experiencing in school. It is best to detect these symptoms during early stages of their life so that their problems can be addressed during their formative years.
You may also visit the website to know how you can really select a suitable neuropsychologist for your various needs.
While selecting such professional, it is necessary to check their qualifications and training they have undergone in order to build their career in this profession.
It is also important to know in which field and particularly what group of people has specialization in providing treatment and advice.
Following are a few words of caution that you must exercise while selecting such professional.
- Most of the boards for State psychology licensing generally allow psychologists to make self-declaration about their area of expertise that are usually not verified by them.
Some psychologists may claim to be neuropsychologist without really having any proper training or certification!
2. Often many insurance companies may refer to their panel of psychologists when a need for neuropsychological evaluation is indicated. Not all insurances verify training for a psychologist to be called a neuropsychologist.
They may direct you to psychologists, who may be untrained to administer any kind of neuropsychological evaluation. Also, your insurance company may not even tell you that obtaining consultation from any outside expert is your right.
3. It can be beneficial to find a neuropsychologist who is board certified. However, there are many neuropsychologists who do not have this designation and yet meet all of the qualifications for board certification or are in the process of board certification.
4. Lastly, it is important to know that the neuropsychologist has received necessary training in the area of Clinical Neuropsychology.
Questions to ask while choosing neuropsychologist
Choosing a right neuropsychologist who works with children to detect their problems early and is suitable to make necessary recommendations is most beneficial.
Following few questions will be appropriate to ask.
- Can you please tell me about your professional qualification?
- Patients of what age usually you serve during your practice?
- Have you got any special interest or experience in treating problems of children?
- Do you have any prior experience of working especially with any particular school district or a private school?
- Can you offer me a guarantee that your report will be made available within a particular date as needed by me?
- How can you gather all information about our children from the educators?
- Are you going to send out questionnaires?
- Are you going to interview educators?
- Will any feedback obtained from educators influence the tests that you may administer?
- What issues will you try to address?
- In case, you are requested, will your report incorporate various personal observations made by you about the child in various setting?
- Does your report include your educational recommendations?
- Whether your recommendations will be customized as per the child’s individual profile?
- Whether your evaluation will cover executive functioning, social skills, anxiety and any other emotional issues like vulnerability to teasing and bullying etc.?
- Will you routinely attend any team meeting yourself?
