CHILDREN & TEEN ASSESSMENTS

We specialize in:

Psycho-Educational

Neuro-Educational

Trauma Informed and

Educationally Related Mental Health Service assessments.

We determine if your child or teen has:

Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, or Dyscalculia

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Anxiety

Depression

Behavioral Disorders

Developmental Trauma

Plus, any conditions that significantly impact learning and school performance.

Our in depth assessments can be used to develop an

Individualized plan for your child’s future success.

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WHY ARE ASSESSMENTS BENEFICIAL?

✅ Provides an unbiased evaluation of learning and behavioral needs.

✅ Sheds light on specific learning strengths and weaknesses.

✅ Provides a road map for treatment.

✅ Assists parents and schools in planning appropriate intervention support.

✅ Helps determine eligibility for an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

✅ Helps determine eligibility for Section 504 accommodations.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT?

FIRST,

Book an Initial Intake Coaching Session:

During a 45 minute Coaching Session, we will make recommendations on whether assessments are needed. If so, we will recommend the type of assessments that will answer your questions and help your child. If an assessment through our clinic is not recommended, we will help find the path that best meets your needs.

NEXT,

Time to schedule your Testing Sessions:

Following the initial intake coaching session, you will schedule your testing with The Bylund Clinic. Depending on the type of assessment that is needed, the testing may last anywhere from 2 to 8 hours. These sessions are broken up into 2 hour sessions and you will receive an email link that allows you to select the appropriate number of sessions on the days and times that work for you.

Payment for the assessment:

For district funded Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE), The Bylund Clinic will work with the school district to coordinate the necessary contracts and payment. For those paying for their own assessment, an initial payment is taken at the start of the assessment and the final payment is taken when the assessment report is completed.

Do you take insurance?  We do not accept insurance. We will provide “Superbills” with the necessary treatment codes so that you may submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. However, we cannot guarantee reimbursement even with the Superbill. You may want to check with your insurance company to find out what your plan will cover. It is also important to note that insurance companies require a qualifying diagnosis to determine “medical necessity”. Thus, educational testing that does not identify a mental health diagnosis is most often not covered. However, our clients have had success using their Health Savings Accounts to pay for testing.

LASTLY,

Once assessments are complete:

💡Parents receive a comprehensive assessment report clearly explaining findings and recommendations.

💡 Parents are encouraged to read through the assessment report and identify questions.

💡 You can then schedule a free consultation with the psychologist to discuss the report findings & next steps.

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TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS

 

Psychoeducational Evaluation

Dr. Bylund and his associates conduct psychoeducational evaluations to uncover the underlying cause(s) of academic difficulties when there is a known or suspected learning disorder. Dr. Bylund and his team use a variety of assessment tools to identify processing strengths and weaknesses, learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalulia), non-verbal learning disability, intellectual disabilities, and other psychological disorders impacting learning and school performance. These evaluations are similar in many ways to those one might receive through the school district (also see Neuro-Educational Evaluation) and assess the following areas:

  • Sensory-motor processes

  • Processing Speed

  • Memory

  • Language

  • Nonverbal reasoning

  • General Intelligence

  • Reading related processes

  • Academic Skills (e.g. reading, writing, mathematics)

Neuro-Educational Evaluation

​One of the most noticeable differences between a psychoeducational evaluation and a neuro-educational evaluation is it's breadth and depth. A neuro-educational evaluation integrates traditional psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessments and may be needed when a child’s neuropsychological condition adversely impacts educational progress. The level of specificity provided with a neuro-educational evaluation may be necessary in order to accurately describe the complex patterns of neuropsychological functions impacting learning and school performance.

Additionally, neuro-educational evaluations differ from traditional psychoeducational evaluations in the way in which information is interpreted. With a neuro-educational evaluation, assessment data is interpreted based on an understanding of brain-behavior relationships; in other words, the way differences in brain functioning manifest in different learning and behavioral characteristics.

Traditional neuropsychological evaluations, conducted by those working within a medical model, may have little relevance with regards to school based interventions. Reports often describe the tests administered, rather than the child those tests were used to assess, and the resulting recommendations may not be appropriate for the school setting. As an experienced school and educational psychologist, and a Diplomate of the American Board of School Neuropsychology, Dr. Bylund has the expertise to conduct comprehensive neuro-educational evaluations that are relevant to a child’s learning and school performance. This level of assessment may be needed when a child experiences the following medical/neurological disorders and/or unique educational challenges.

  • Dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

  • Traumatic Brain Injury

  • History of acquired or congenital brain damage (e.g., seizure disorder, brain tumors, anoxia/hypoxia, genetic abnormalities)

  • Medical disorder with CNS involvement (e.g., severe asthma, leukemia, low birth weight, spina bifida and hydrocephalus)

  • Exposure to environmental neurotoxins (e.g., fetal alcohol syndrome, substance abuse, inhalant abuse)

  • A sudden and unexplainable drop in academic achievement

  • Failure to respond following multiple evaluations and intervention strategies

  • When traditional psycho-educational evaluation is not sufficient to describe the breath and/or depth of neuropsychological barriers and/or develop an educational program and/or other treatments that appropriately meet the clients needs.

Neuro-Educational Evaluations assess the clients development in the following areas:

  • Sensory-motor processes

  • Processing Speed

  • Attention Regulation

  • Working Memory

  • Executive Functioning

  • Auditory Processing

  • Phonological Processing

  • Orthographic Processing

  • Rapid Naming

  • Language

  • Visual-Spatial Processing

  • Memory Functions

  • Reasoning

  • General Intelligence

  • Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Functioning

  • Social Communication and Flexibility (e.g., Autism Spectrum Disorders)

  • Academic Skills (e.g. reading, writing, mathematics)

Trauma Informed Evaluation

Trauma includes both highly stressful single events (e.g., car accident, assault, natural disaster) as well as persistent, or chronic stressors (e.g., abuse, domestic violence, community violence) that keep the nervous system in a state of high alert over a prolonged period. It also includes and acts of omission (e.g., neglect, impaired caregiving, multiple placement disruptions).

Both acute trauma and chronic stress can greatly impact the nervous systems and manifest in a host of physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive challenges that are often far more complex than other developmental disorders (e.g., learning disorder, ADHD, depression, anxiety). Because of this complexity, however, children with developmental trauma may be identified with any number, or combination, of other disorders such as anxiety disorder, oppositional defiance, ADHD, conduct disorder, dysthymia, PTSD, phobias, and others. Unfortunately, misidentification of the underlying disorder may also lead to inappropriate and ineffective educational programs and treatment, and possibly worsen their symptom presentation.

When assessing children and youth with a history of trauma, Dr. Bylund completes a comprehensive neuro-educational evaluation (described above) including measures of attention, executive functioning, and memory, areas of neuropsychological processing most vulnerable to the impact of trauma. The assessment also includes a number of additional measures assessing the social, emotional, and behavioral impact of trauma. This may include the following

Assessing Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) functioning
Review history of trauma and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
Review of attachment history
Personality assessment
Projective measures
Standardized measures of trauma symptoms
Trauma informed educational and treatment recommendations