What is a neuropsychological evaluation?

Neuropsychological exams are a lot like the free evaluations that school psychologists do. But the ones done at school have a different name. They’re often called psycho-educational evaluations.

Evaluations done at school use many of the same tests and are free. Neuropsychological exams are done privately and can cost thousands of dollars.

There’s another big difference. A private evaluation may include a diagnosis. But most school evaluations don’t diagnose kids. Instead, the purpose of a school evaluation is to see if a child qualifies for special education services.

Learn more about school evaluations.

The goal of these exams is to get to the bottom of why kids are struggling. There may be more than one reason. A child might have trouble with reading, but is it one reading skill that’s weak or more than one? Is trouble with focus a factor? Or slow processing speed?

For a struggling reader, a neuropsychological exam could lead to a diagnosis of dyslexia or ADHD — or both or neither. The tests also look at other aspects of childhood development and mental health that can affect learning.

Not all evaluations end with a diagnosis. But the findings are still likely to specify which kind of teaching and support can help kids make progress.

Learn about the difference between a clinical diagnosis and a school identification.

The exams are done by pediatric neuropsychologists. They are psychologists with doctoral degrees who work with kids. After getting their PhD, they have two years of training in brain development and how it relates to learning. 

Neuropsychologists work in private offices and in hospitals. But they’re not medical doctors and they can’t prescribe medication.

Learn more about pediatric neuropsychologists.

Testing takes place in the neuropsychologist’s office. It’s done one-on-one and is usually very low-tech. Kids answer out loud or use a pencil and paper or in some cases a computer. The exam can take up to six hours total, but it’s often spread out over a couple of days. 

The tests measure:

• Academic skills in reading, math, and writing

• Executive function skills (like planning and organizing)

• Intelligence

• Language skills

• Memory

• Motor skills (like drawing and handwriting)

• Visual-spatial processing (like predicting what a square would look like if you folded it in half)

• Social-emotional skills

Neuropsychologists also go over a child’s personal history. They may look at medical and school records, and even observe a child in the classroom. They might want to meet with families before and after the testing. They may also recommend more tests and want to meet with school officials.

Get an inside look at a neuropsychological evaluation for dyslexia.

A neuropsychological evaluation can cost thousands of dollars. In some cases, health insurance will cover it. It’s also possible a school district will pay for it. But in most cases, families have to pay out of pocket.

One reason neuropsychological exams cost a lot is because they look at the whole child. But many kids don’t need a comprehensive evaluation. They may benefit from targeted tests like those for speech and language problems.

Learn how to get a free or low-cost private evaluation for kids.