43 Neuropsychology Evaluations: When a Brain-based Lens Makes All the Difference

https://302.buzz/PM-WhatAreYourThoughts

My guest today is Dr. Stephanie Nelson, a board-certified pediatric neuropsychologist. Dr. Nelson walks us through the nuances of neuropsychological assessments and how they can help us coordinate care for our patients.  

Dr. Nelson specializes in complex differential diagnosis. Her day-to-day work involves comprehensive neuropsychological assessments and outreach to the community through presentations, workshops, and volunteer work. She also spends half her time providing consultation to psychologists and neuropsychologists who specialize in pediatric assessment.

[00:01] Dr. Stephanie Nelson Shares Her Story With Us 

• Dr. Nelson  wanted to be a teacher at first but ended up as a neuropsychologist
• She tells us what happened 
• Dr. Nelson tells us the difference between clinical psychology and neuropsychology

[06:55] Differentiating Dyslexia from Other Learning Disabilities 

• Neuropsychologists like to say they’re psychologists first, then neuropsychologists second
• Dr. Nelson tells us why
• The other things that neuropsychologists test aside from memory 
• Should you go to a neuropsychologist or clinical psychologist first? 
• Don’t be confused with Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia with these explanations from Dr. Nelson! 
• She talks about Rapid Naming 
• Factors that affect comprehension 

[18:07] Determining the Right Intervention for the Child 

• Determining the true situation of the child to choose the right intervention 
• The top question that neuropsychologists get from parents and pediatricians 
• Special education in schools 
• Qualifying for special education services 
• Resources with informative content for pediatricians and parents 
• Links below 

[28:11] Determining the Right Intervention for the Child 

• The role of neuropsychologists in helping children with Down syndrome 
• Learning multifactorial skills 
• What Dr. Nelson always tells the parents when asking for a neuropsychological evaluation 
• How pediatricians should read neuropsychological reports 
• 3 things for families to know more about their children 

[38:32] The Right Time to Seek Evaluation 

• How Dr. Nelson writes her neuropsychological reports 
• The challenge in giving treatments to kids who exhibit learning disabilities 
• Dr. Nelson shares her insights about seeking an evaluation for children 
• Dyslexia is heritable 

 [44:29] Closing Segment  

• Final takeaways:
• A neuropsychologist goes one step farther than the clinical psychologist
• A neuro psych evaluation may be really helpful for specific cognitive concern
• Neuropsych testing tackles cognitive domains language, sensory-motor, executive function, and social cognition, just to name a few.
• Consider Dyslexia
• Math and writing disorders are also multifactorial
• Special education in schools should address the needs of students 
• Dr. Nelson's goal of creating a roadmap of needs that meets challenges and come up with a diagnosis that makes sense
• Family history is crucial 
• When to consider neuropsychology 

Key Quotes:

“Writing is just language on paper. So if you have trouble with language, it's going to show up in your writing.” - Dr. Stephanie Nelson

“ADHD has similar...