Youth with ADHD face challenges at home, at school, and socially due to struggles with attention/focus, emotional regulation, and impulsivity. Symptoms of ADHD can vary from person to person, and a thorough evaluation can determine how ADHD symptoms are impacting daily functioning and also how other co-occurring issues may be affecting  the progression of ADHD.

Anxiety symptoms and mood symptoms, which includes depression and mood regulation disorders, affect a youth’s ability to manage typical daily obligations, affects their self-image and self-esteem, and interferes with appropriate developmental growth. Oftentimes, symptoms of anxiety and mood are not readily noticeable, and a careful evaluation can determine how these issues are impacting functioning.

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social functioning and social development, including the use of language for meaningful communication, social interactions with peers and adults, emotional regulation, and learning. Symptoms can vary from mild (which used to be referred to Asperger’s Syndrome) to serious, and a comprehensive evaluation can pinpoint the best steps for helping the child with autism spectrum disorder.

Global cognitive impairments, including intellectual disability, and and specific cognitive or processing challenges can affect a youth’s learning, social functioning, and adaptive skills development. Understanding how a child thinks and reasons, processes information, and learns can provide the necessary direction for educational programming as well as social development.

Youth with exceptional thinking and reasoning capabilities can excel in the school setting, yet sometimes their strong skills are overlooked, preventing them from reaching their fullest potential. Sometimes, too, their extremely high cognitive skills lead to behavioral or emotional challenges. A comprehensive evaluation can identify a child’s areas of exceptional strength while providing understanding of how those skills may be influencing their daily functioning.

Specific learning disabilities affect reading, writing, and/or math skills development despite a youth having the capacity for learning. Targeted evaluations can determine the presence of Dyslexia (which impacts reading and writing), Dysgraphia (which affects writing), and Dyscalculia (which affects math); providing direction on how to ensure that the youth reach and maintain grade-level learning.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders encompass a range of complex, neurologically-based difficulties that can be genetic (for example, genetic syndromes and chromosomal disorders), organic (meaning brain-based but not genetic, such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Nonverbal Learning Disorder), or acquired (from a known brain-based insult such as a brain bleed, seizures, or extreme trauma). A comprehensive evaluation provides a full picture of the youth’s cognitive, processing, behavioral, social, and emotional functioning, with treatment directions identified that help the youth reach their full potential.