Pediatrics
Our Pediatric Program provides a way to identify your child’s strengths and weaknesses, the first step to developing an appropriate plan for intervention.
Questions for Consideration
- Is your child struggling academically, having behavior problems at home, or having difficulties getting along with peers?
- Has anyone ever expressed concern that he or she may have a learning disability or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
- How was your child evaluated? Do you know you child’s weakness, diagnosis and most importantly his/her cognitive strengths?
Our Process for Diagnosis
Diagnosing and differentiating developmental, educational, cognitive, social, and emotional/behavioral problems can be difficult, as many symptoms overlap (e.g., anxiety and distractibility of ADHD). Life Span provides clarity regarding diagnosis by using the following process:
- Neuropsychological consultation: The child and family meet with the neuropsychologist to discuss current concerns and to develop an immediate plan of action.
- Neuropsychological examination (NPE) to assess the following:
- General intellect
- Academic achievement skills (math, spelling, reading, comprehension, etc).
- Executive skills, such as organization, planning, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility
- Processing Speed/multitasking
- Attention/Concentration
- Learning and memory
- Language
- Visual-spatial skills
- Motor coordination and sensory skills
- Behavioral and emotional functioning
- Developmental assessment: Geared toward young children (below age 5) and those whose primary difficulties are with social functioning or other delays in development.
- Psychological examination: Provides clarity regarding diagnosis for children/adolescents whose difficulties are emotional/behavioral (e.g., depression, anxiety, etc), without accompanying cognitive concerns (e.g., attention problems).
Supportive Services
Depending on the specific needs of the child/adolescent and family, supportive services will be provided:
- Individual/Family Counseling: Provides support to address social/emotional difficulties such as depressed mood, anxiety/OCD, low self esteem, etc. Counseling helps children to develop strategies for improved coping and directly addresses problematic behavior.
- Parent Management Training: Parents are educated to interact differently with their children by directly implementing behavior management procedures in the home. Sessions provide opportunities for parents to see how the techniques are implemented, practice these techniques, and review and modify the programs. This is especially useful when typical parenting strategies are not effective with your child.
- Biofeedback: Teaches children to identify the physical signs of stress, anxiety, or anger and to manage/control these symptoms through mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation.
- IEP/504 Plan Collaboration: Provides guidance for parents and schools in the development and implementation of accommodations in the classroom setting.
We Can Help
The services offered through NRS/LS may be right for your child and family for the following concerns:
- ADHD
- Learning Disabilities (dyslexia, mathematics, etc.)
- Traumatic Brain Injury (Concussion, sports-related, MVA, etc.)
- Stroke
- Seizure Disorders
- Other Medical-Neurological Illnesses
- Autism Spectrum/Asperger’s Syndrome
- Depression/Bipolar Disorder
- Anxiety, OCD, Phobias
- Self-Esteem Issues
- Adjustment to Medical Illness/Injury
- Social Skills Difficulties
- School Refusal/Anxiety
- Behavior Problems (Tantrums, sleeping issues, etc.)