Has your little one shown signs of reading or writing difficulty? Their teacher remarked that they must catch up on their skill set. Just remember that you are not alone. Even adults and many kids struggle with learning. The good news is that your child can get support from a psychologist in Calgary. They’ll conduct a psycho-educational exam or a neuropsychological assessment, a handy place to start pinpointing problems. Here, we’ll explain what they are, how they vary, and how your child might profit from them.
What is a Psycho-Educational Assessment?
“Psychological functioning” is what’s evaluated through psycho-educational tests. In this context, mental faculties and cognitive skills like attention are called “psychological functioning.”
Understanding a person’s problem-solving, learning, and memory processes is crucial since unresolved obstacles to these processes can significantly lower a person’s quality of life. A psychological evaluation can also identify any behavioural, social, emotional, or psychological issues and diagnose a learning disability, a developmental disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other conditions.
A certified psychologist, psychometrists, and psychological associates conduct a psycho-educational examination, yielding detailed recommendations for addressing problems at home and school.
Why Take a Psycho-Educational Assessment?
Every person’s brain excels at some things while failing miserably at others. Sometimes a person’s brain can’t perform some tasks as well as other brains can, or it can’t perform specific tasks as well as others.
Identifying a person’s strengths and weaknesses is crucial so that any necessary help and accommodations can be made for them to succeed in life and school. A psycho-educational assessment near you identifies a person’s areas of struggle to use that information to help that person succeed in life.
Signs That an Assessment Might be Necessary:
- Wondering if my job or my child’s school is a good fit
- Trouble making and keeping friends
- Lack of interest in learning new things
- Feeling stressed about homework
- Trying to figure out how my child or I can learn best?
- Your kid would benefit from accommodations
- Potential and performance not matching up
- Behavioural problems
- Struggling to understand new concepts
- Needing help from others to get things done.
How to Get One and How Long Will it Take?
If your child’s school notices that they are lagging behind their friends, they will typically recommend a psycho-educational assessment. On occasion, a teacher will speak with you about it. If your child has reading, writing, or math difficulties, you may also see indicators of this and wish to intervene. However, it might occur earlier or later. Learning issues are typically identified in the first or second grade.
Is There a Faster Alternative Available?
Private clinics are an option if you need an assessment quickly. CBT Associates provides them in about a month. Some private insurance plans provide partial or complete coverage. It’s good to check with your provider to see if all or part of the cost is covered.
Where Should You Take a Psycho-Educational Assessment in Calgary?
It would help if you took advantage of the psycho-educational test to learn more about your child. It will help you figure out your child’s strengths and weaknesses and nurture them. With the help of psychologists near you, you can understand where your child needs help and intervene early on so that your child can thrive in school and beyond.
Children with developmental, mental health, or behavioural disorders, such as autism, epilepsy, or bipolar disorder, may benefit most from a neuropsychological evaluation. The neuropsychologist will use the findings to develop a plan of action to assist your child in moving forward. Some of this information can be included in an IEP, along with suggestions for modifications that the school board can consider. Other findings suggest alternative forms of support, like psychotherapy or speech therapy.
You can contact Prevail Psychology for an assessment for ages 5 and up. Our clinical psychologist works on many approaches but primarily on relationships and trust. You can reach out to us and schedule an appointment.