FAQ

Pediatric neuropsychology is a specialty focused on understanding how brain development affects learning, behavior, socialization, emotions, and daily functioning in children, adolescents, and emerging adults.  

Pediatric neuropsychologists use standardized tests, interviews, and observations to create a detailed profile of strengths and challenges. Through these assessments, they evaluate how skills such as attention, memory, language, problem-solving, self-control, and social understanding are developing, and consider how medical, neurological, genetic, or emotional factors may be influencing those abilities.

A neuropsychological evaluation combines input from adults, the child/adolescent, record review, and developmentally appropriate testing to create a clear picture of that person’s strengths and challenges.  

The goal is not only to provide a diagnosis, but to explain how the brain functions and then relate that to the person’s everyday experiences. This process helps to understand whether difficulties stem from conditions such as ADHD, learning disorders, autism, anxiety, mood concerns, medical issues, brain injury, or developmental differences.  

By drawing connections between brain development and real-world functioning, pediatric neuropsychology offers practical, individualized recommendations for school supports, therapies, medical care, and parenting strategies which ensure that children receive the right support at the right time. Ultimately, this comprehensive approach empowers parents to better understand their child and advocate for services that help them learn, develop, and flourish.  

Every testing plan is developed with you and tailored to your child’s needs and the specific questions you want answered. Common areas we evaluate include:

Thinking and Learning

  • Attention – How well your child can focus and stay on task.
  • New Learning – How your child learns new information or skills.
  • Memory – How your child remembers information, both short- and long-term.
  • Intellectual Abilities – Overall reasoning and problem-solving skills.
  • Academic Skills – Reading, writing, math, and other school-related abilities.

Daily Functioning

  • Adaptive Skills – How your child manages everyday tasks like self-care and organization.
  • Motor and Sensorimotor Skills – Coordination, movement, and how your child uses their body.
  • Visual-Spatial and Perceptual Skills – Understanding form, space  and visual information.

Communication and Social Skills

  • Language – Understanding and using words, sentences, and conversation.
  • Social Communication – How your child interacts, understands social cues, and communicates with others.

Thinking Processes and Self-Control

  • Executive Function – Planning, organizing, self-regulating, and problem-solving.

Mental Health

  • Emotional Skills – Understanding, expressing, and managing feelings.
  • Behavior – Day-to-day behaviors, challenges, and patterns.
  • Psychiatric Symptoms – Anxiety, mood, or other mental health concerns that affect daily life

An evaluation identifies a person’s strengths and challenges, clarifies diagnoses, and connects brain-based findings to everyday functioning. The information gathered provides the insight needed to develop practical, individualized recommendations for school, therapies, medical care, and daily life, helping to access the right support at the right time. These strategies promote optimal functioning at home, school, work and in social situations.

The assessment begins with a detailed developmental, medical, and educational history with the parents/caregivers and sometimes the teen or emerging adult. There is a review of relevant medical and school records to better understand the person’s background and prior concerns. 

Information can also be gathered from physicians, teachers and other professionals involved in the person’s care to understand functioning across settings and provide well-informed recommendations.

During the actual testing, the person completes a series of structured tasks and activities designed to measure various skills. For younger children or those with developmental differences, the activities may be play-based or use hands-on materials, while older children and adolescents complete table top, paper-pencil or computer-based tasks.

The testing is conducted in a supportive, one-on-one setting, and the examiner will adjust the pace and format to match your child’s comfort and motivation. Some sections may be short and playful, while others may be longer to assess specific skills.

Throughout, the examiner observes not just performance on the tasks but also the person’s strategies, effort, and behavior, which provide important information about the person’s skills.

During feedback with adults, the neuropsychologist will review evaluation results, discussing their strengths, challenges, and how these relate to everyday learning, behavior, and emotions. 

During a feedback session with the child or adolescent, we share results in a developmentally appropriate way, focusing on strengths, areas of challenge and areas to work on. We discuss strategies and goals that make sense for them, help them understand how their brain works, and empower them to take an active role in their learning, behavior, and daily routines. This also gives the person an opportunity to ask questions and reflect on what supports might help them feel more confident and successful.

Within a few weeks, families receive a written report with practical recommendations for home, school, and therapy, along with guidance for implementing supports and collaborating with providers and teachers.

After feedback, your doctor can help families and providers put recommendations into action, offering guidance for school, therapies, and daily routines, answering questions, and collaborating with educators or clinicians to ensure the child continues to grow, succeed, and build confidence.

The cost of evaluation can vary widely depending on the child’s age and needs, the type of assessment and the scope of testing. 

Fees include the interview, testing time, scoring and interpretation, report writing, and a feedback session.

Insurance coverage varies, and WPN can provide superbills so families can seek possible out-of-network reimbursement from their insurers.

Because pricing can differ, it’s best to contact the office directly for current cost estimates and to ask about insurance reimbursement or payment plan options.

Yes, we are contracted with:

Aetna

DMBA

Educators Mutual

Meritain

Select Health, all plans

Utah Medicaid

Children’s Health Insurance Program