More LD testing questions

[Jean in Newcastle]

a.  How much does neuropsych testing generally cost?  

 

b.  Does a neuropsych report in and of itself provide accommodations at the college level?  (I looked at the College Board's guidelines for accommodations and they say that the test must be done within 5 years of college testing?  So a test given to my 11 year old would be too early?  Or would that be ok if she takes the PSAT at age 16?)

 

c.  I talked to a place that does cognitive training.  They test with subtests of the Woodcock Johnson III Cog and Woodcock Johnson III Achievement test.  They actually work with my school district (named before I even said where I live) in preparations of IEPs, though the SD also uses their own tests to generate the actual IEP.  They provide a report with recommendations on a whole list of stuff including auditory processing skills, visual processing skills, working memory etc.  The cost of the testing plus a one hour individual consultation is one that I can afford ($150).  

 

d.  The cognitive training place does provide cognitive training to increase processing speed etc.  Or I could just do that on my own.  Does this kind of thing help?  I haven't looked at all their videos/ links yet.

 

My concerns for getting testing are:  to provide me with information for teaching my daughter to her strengths but also in helping to shore up her weaknesses and to allow for possible accommodations when she is no longer homeschooled (probably not until college).  

[PeterPan]

If you do the neuropsych now, you'll redo it again mid-way through high school, say 16.  That's normal.  Cost?  Depends on your area, how popular the docs are, your insurance, etc.  I talked with someone who's insurance brought it down to $250 a kid, but I think she only got 2 hours of testing and almost no feedback or intake.  I got around 10 hours with the psych (testing, intake and afterward), and we paid $1500.  That allows for his time to do the scoring and write-up too.  (They bill per hour and tally all that.)  I've heard $3500 if you go to a really high end place like out west where they have multiple practitioners seeing you and working together, blah blah.  

 

Ok, you're looking at PACE/Learning RX?  Our VT place does it, but they won't do PACE until the patient has already done VT.  Yes it can work.  Definitely will bump working memory and EF, might even help processing speed.  No the testing they're doing is not even remotely close to the testing thoroughness you'd get with a psych.  It's merely meant to track their parameters.  It's fine, and I looked into it for my dd.  Her processing speed is low, and yes it's something that could help.  I just don't happen to have another $3500 lying around to do that too, and that's what it would cost, kwim?  And if you read the fine print, they suggest a 10% bump in working memory on some of these things.  Well fine, my kid's working memory is xyz low number, and even tripling it wouldn't get it where it needed to be.

 

On the other hand, you can do a hack version of IM (Interactive Metronome) at home for free using Heather's instructions and adding in the auditory working memory workbook, and you'll get a bump in EF, working memory, possibly processing speed, and it won't cost you much of anything, maybe just the $17 for that workbook.  

 

I like PACE and think it would be fabulous to do.  I just can't spend that on it right now.  And frankly, in reality, if I spent $3500 on getting neurofeedback (that would be tons and tons and tons of sessions), she'd have more progress and more permanent than with the same amount doing PACE.  Neurofeedback will actually change her brain wave levels, make her rise better, help her focus better, etc. etc.  We found sensory issues held her back with the PACE activities that they brought into our VT sessions, to the point where she was really hitting walls and frustrated.  That $3500 was the cost here, btw.  I don't know what you'd be looking at.  

 

I'm just saying you have to compare all that.  You don't know how to triage and figure out where to put your money till you do evals.  Evals from a psych can tell you whether her phonological processing or working memory or word recall or just plain attention or motor control or what most needs to be focused on.  The WJIII testing is interesting.  The psych will probably still redo it with regular IQ tests and the WIAT.  Yes you can read some tea leaves off the WJIII tests.  You could find a tester for you to do it outside the Learning RX or whatever place if you wanted.  Really though, you do the center, you plunk out the dough, and then you realize that a percentage bump is still a percentage bump on a problem and doesn't really tell you what the problems are or how to deal with them.  For me, I needed someone objective to look over my kid and tell me how to teach her, how far out of the box to go, what was character and what was physical reality, when NOT to be afraid, etc.  A tutoring center couldn't do that for me.  The psych, whose reputation is on the line, does that.  He's the one who has seen the consequences of xzy left on that path, so he can speak to you and say yes you're ok, no shift this, these are your holes.  And there are all kinds of things NOT getting tested by that learning center.  Not attention, not motor control, not phonological processing, not dysgraphia, etc. etc.  You get no labels or accommodation recs either that you can use with her.  Nuts, I use her accommodation suggests MYSELF to know how to work with her better!  Only a psych does that.  And for her online classes, absolutely I'm upfront about the label and what her issues are.  I couldn't do that and be confident without the label.  

 

I like the PACE/Learning RX materials.  What dd was powerful stuff, absolutely.  But it's powerful as a component and not a replacement for evals, kwim?  Every practitioner out there will sell you something as their miracle cure.  It's really hard to slow down and say I have $2K and everyone wants it.  What will give me the MOST bang for my buck.  For some people, that's doing therapies and skipping the evals.  But if you get some therapist who starts you into an otherwise good therapy too soon and the kid isn't really ready to optimally use it, you're sorta wasting your money.  So just take it slowly, determine your options.  

[Julie of KY]

Does your insurance cover psychological testing (or have mental health services)? Mine pays 100% of the cost of neuropsych testing after we have met our dedeuctable - which we keep doing with surgery, broken bones, etc.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Elizabeth, it is Learning Rx.  I sent a follow-up e-mail asking if their testing would uncover if she were actually 2e (which is what I suspect).  The reply I got was that the tests just compare her ability and achievement against other kids her age.  So. . . probably not?  

 

Julie, I don't think so but I will have to check that.  

[Tiramisu]

If you do the neuropsych now, you'll redo it again mid-way through high school, say 16.  That's normal.  Cost?  Depends on your area, how popular the docs are, your insurance, etc.  I talked with someone who's insurance brought it down to $250 a kid, but I think she only got 2 hours of testing and almost no feedback or intake.  I got around 10 hours with the psych (testing, intake and afterward), and we paid $1500.  That allows for his time to do the scoring and write-up too.  (They bill per hour and tally all that.)  I've heard $3500 if you go to a really high end place like out west where they have multiple practitioners seeing you and working together, blah blah.  

 

Ok, you're looking at PACE/Learning RX?  Our VT place does it, but they won't do PACE until the patient has already done VT.  Yes it can work.  Definitely will bump working memory and EF, might even help processing speed.  No the testing they're doing is not even remotely close to the testing thoroughness you'd get with a psych.  It's merely meant to track their parameters.  It's fine, and I looked into it for my dd.  Her processing speed is low, and yes it's something that could help.  I just don't happen to have another $3500 lying around to do that too, and that's what it would cost, kwim?  And if you read the fine print, they suggest a 10% bump in working memory on some of these things.  Well fine, my kid's working memory is xyz low number, and even tripling it wouldn't get it where it needed to be.

 

On the other hand, you can do a hack version of IM (Interactive Metronome) at home for free using Heather's instructions and adding in the auditory working memory workbook, and you'll get a bump in EF, working memory, possibly processing speed, and it won't cost you much of anything, maybe just the $17 for that workbook.  

 

I like PACE and think it would be fabulous to do.  I just can't spend that on it right now.  And frankly, in reality, if I spent $3500 on getting neurofeedback (that would be tons and tons and tons of sessions), she'd have more progress and more permanent than with the same amount doing PACE.  Neurofeedback will actually change her brain wave levels, make her rise better, help her focus better, etc. etc.  We found sensory issues held her back with the PACE activities that they brought into our VT sessions, to the point where she was really hitting walls and frustrated.  That $3500 was the cost here, btw.  I don't know what you'd be looking at.  

 

I'm just saying you have to compare all that.  You don't know how to triage and figure out where to put your money till you do evals.  Evals from a psych can tell you whether her phonological processing or working memory or word recall or just plain attention or motor control or what most needs to be focused on.  The WJIII testing is interesting.  The psych will probably still redo it with regular IQ tests and the WIAT.  Yes you can read some tea leaves off the WJIII tests.  You could find a tester for you to do it outside the Learning RX or whatever place if you wanted.  Really though, you do the center, you plunk out the dough, and then you realize that a percentage bump is still a percentage bump on a problem and doesn't really tell you what the problems are or how to deal with them.  For me, I needed someone objective to look over my kid and tell me how to teach her, how far out of the box to go, what was character and what was physical reality, when NOT to be afraid, etc.  A tutoring center couldn't do that for me.  The psych, whose reputation is on the line, does that.  He's the one who has seen the consequences of xzy left on that path, so he can speak to you and say yes you're ok, no shift this, these are your holes.  And there are all kinds of things NOT getting tested by that learning center.  Not attention, not motor control, not phonological processing, not dysgraphia, etc. etc.  You get no labels or accommodation recs either that you can use with her.  Nuts, I use her accommodation suggests MYSELF to know how to work with her better!  Only a psych does that.  And for her online classes, absolutely I'm upfront about the label and what her issues are.  I couldn't do that and be confident without the label.  

 

I like the PACE/Learning RX materials.  What dd was powerful stuff, absolutely.  But it's powerful as a component and not a replacement for evals, kwim?  Every practitioner out there will sell you something as their miracle cure.  It's really hard to slow down and say I have $2K and everyone wants it.  What will give me the MOST bang for my buck.  For some people, that's doing therapies and skipping the evals.  But if you get some therapist who starts you into an otherwise good therapy too soon and the kid isn't really ready to optimally use it, you're sorta wasting your money.  So just take it slowly, determine your options.  

 

OhE, if Jean is in the NW, isn't there some super-duper place there for 2E evals?

[Tiramisu]

Elizabeth, it is Learning Rx.  I sent a follow-up e-mail asking if their testing would uncover if she were actually 2e (which is what I suspect).  The reply I got was that the tests just compare her ability and achievement against other kids her age.  So. . . probably not?  

 

Julie, I don't think so but I will have to check that.  

 

My understanding is that ability and achievement is that it will tell you that there's a problem but not exactly what it is. A np would look at those tests and decide what further tests to do to determine more precisely what the issues are.

 

When I was dissatisfied with our np experience and ran my concerns by a trusted doctor, I was told that np testing should be about six hours. Our testing took less than three hours and included abilities, achievement, and specialized tests. We got helpful information and what we needed for college accommodations, but I think our np cut corners and didn't uncover as much as she could have. Other professionals agreed. Dd was older, but if she were younger it would have been better to have more information.

 

Consider that you are hsing an 11 year old with possible issues, including the 2E question, I'd get the most thorough testing you can afford. You will be facing a lot in the next five years, emotionally and academically. As expectations increase, she will be pushed to her limits, and so will you. It's really the perfect time to get a thorough evaluation so you can be as prepared as you can. If she's going to need any kind of specific therapy, it's better to have identified the issue and deal with it earlier rather than later. Overall, I think it would spare you grief to get done what you can now.

 

I chose the cheapest option each time I tested, and knowing what I do know, I did my family a disservice, even taking into account our limited finances. Looking back, it would have been worth the sacrifice. I don't mean to push you into anything, Jean, but this was our experience. 

[Tiramisu]

If you do the neuropsych now, you'll redo it again mid-way through high school, say 16.  That's normal.  Cost?  Depends on your area, how popular the docs are, your insurance, etc.  I talked with someone who's insurance brought it down to $250 a kid, but I think she only got 2 hours of testing and almost no feedback or intake.  I got around 10 hours with the psych (testing, intake and afterward), and we paid $1500.  That allows for his time to do the scoring and write-up too.  (They bill per hour and tally all that.)  I've heard $3500 if you go to a really high end place like out west where they have multiple practitioners seeing you and working together, blah blah.  

 

We spent $1800. The other place I looked at would have charged $2400. Their testing would have been more complete, I think, but all with one np. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

 

Consider that you are hsing an 11 year old with possible issues, including the 2E question, I'd get the most thorough testing you can afford. You will be facing a lot in the next five years, emotionally and academically. As expectations increase, she will be pushed to her limits, and so will you. It's really the perfect time to get a thorough evaluation so you can be as prepared as you can. If she's going to need any kind of specific therapy, it's better to have identified the issue and deal with it earlier rather than later. Overall, I think it would spare you grief to get done what you can now.

 

I chose the cheapest option each time I tested, and knowing what I do know, I did my family a disservice, even taking into account our limited finances. Looking back, it would have been worth the sacrifice. I don't mean to push you into anything, Jean, but this was our experience. 

Oh dear.  I have such high med. bills already that paying for this is a big deal.  I guess I just need to do more research.  

[Tiramisu]

Oh dear.  I have such high med. bills already that paying for this is a big deal.  I guess I just need to do more research.  

 

It might be worth talking to the school district first. I don't think it could hurt. They will probably do abilities and achievement testing for a start. If you don't get the answers you need, take the results to a compassionate neuropsych for a consultation to see if they think further testing is necessary. They may then be able to do additional tests without re-doing tests that were already done.

 

I would start with talking to the people you know who went through the ps for testing. Ask them who their contacts were and if anyone was especially nice to deal with and go straight to them.

[8filltheheart]

Jean, our ds has had neuropsy evaluations twice now, one at 16 and one just a couple of weeks ago at 21. The tester makes a huge (and I do mean HUGE difference.). Our ds's first evaluation showed him with the occasional high subcategory in the WISC but mostly just high avg with very slow processing speeds. (His processing speed deficits are extremely significant. The test at 16 had him in the 3rd % for processing issues). ds suffers from anxiety issues on top of Asperger's. Well, the recent evaluator spends time with his clients attempting to form a bond so that will relax through the testing. The results this time had ds in the 93-99% in every category except processing speeds and this time the range for processing was from the 2nd% to the 18th%.

 

He also did all sorts of other testing.....a strength test, a visual perception test, balance, etc.

 

The second tests didn't tell us anything we didn't already know. I had told him prior to the testing that I thought the original testing was inaccurate. He had been dismissive saying that was bc as parents we tend to give our children more credit than they deserve and see things that aren't there. I didn't say anything there, but I try to be a very fair evaluator of my kids' abilities and know what are age appropriate abilities. These 2nd set of tests are far more accurate representations than the first. But......other than making us aware that processing speed issues were his main intellectual deficit, none of the testing actually gave us real info that we didn't know simply from parenting/teaching. For example, yes, he's very smart. Yes, he has gross motor skill issues (he is very clumsy). Yes, he has fine motor control issues (his writing is juvenile).

 

I guess my pt is that I would definitely want to know what I expected to learn from the testing and articulate those concerns to the tester prior to the testing so that you aren't disappointed that they didn't test in a way to seek the info you hoped to get. In our ds's case the testing served its purpose.....to qualify him for disability services and assistance. But, if I had been hoping for more, I would have been disappointed. (Actually, I was hoping for more guidance for how to steer ds for success, but no one seems equipped to give us any more insight than what we have garnered on our own. His processing speed issues are serious.)

[Jean in Newcastle]

What I want is a break down of where her strengths and weaknesses are.  The Learning Rx director I talked to said that they give results for the following cognitive skills (and some more that I did not jot down):  long term memory, short term memory, visual processing, executive processing speed, working memory, logic and reasoning, word attack, auditory processing. . .    The percentile scores are based on comparing how she does in those areas with other kids her age.  So I think that is what I would find helpful for teaching her.  I already know she has learning problems, no matter what a report might say.  I also know that she is intelligent and most likely gifted since her brother is gifted.  But I know that her giftedness tends to be hidden somewhat by her difficulties.  If I know her weakness is in auditory processing, for example, I figure I can do tons of research on how to improve that while at the same time capitalizing on her visual processing ability.  I am trained as a special ed. teacher but we really weren't taught much back in the day on how to help kids with LDs specifically.  

 

[8filltheheart]

What I want is a break down of where her strengths and weaknesses are. The Learning Rx director I talked to said that they give results for the following cognitive skills (and some more that I did not jot down): long term memory, short term memory, visual processing, executive processing speed, working memory, logic and reasoning, word attack, auditory processing. . . The percentile scores are based on comparing how she does in those areas with other kids her age. So I think that is what I would find helpful for teaching her. I already know she has learning problems, no matter what a report might say. I also know that she is intelligent and most likely gifted since her brother is gifted. But I know that her giftedness tends to be hidden somewhat by her difficulties. If I know her weakness is in auditory processing, for example, I figure I can do tons of research on how to improve that while at the same time capitalizing on her visual processing ability. I am trained as a special ed. teacher but we really weren't taught much back in the day on how to help kids with LDs specifically.

I would definitely start/do the $150 testing and see what you find out and see if it provides you with the guidance you need. You may be pleasantly surprised and find that it answers questions and fits the puzzle pieces together. I would have happily paid that just for the processing speed info.

 

What it sounds like you won't be getting is diagnosis info. If it is only for you to research and form your own plan, that might be ok. If you have mental health coverage with your insurance, it might provide enough info for you to prove that further testing needs to be done and get them to cover it. (Our insurance wouldn't pay for testing w/o serious indication. Ours wasn't approved until ds was institutionalized.)

[EKS]

If you're wanting to get SAT/ACT accommodations, you're going to need to show that the disability was present early on.  They don't like to see a first diagnosis right before accommodations were requested.  So now *and* later is what you're going to need to do.

 

As for cost, it depends on how complicated the issues are and how long the testing takes.  My son has had five evaluations done ranging in cost from $0 for a public school evaluation to $3500.  The lowest cost for a private evaluation was about $1500. 

 

 

[Jean in Newcastle]

OK - the more I've read and researched, the more I'm now starting to rule out Learning RX's assessment.  All they give you for the $150 is a one page sheet with a percentage for different cognitive skills tested.  I don't think that will be helpful for me.  

[PeterPan]

Jean, that $150 isn't bad for what you're getting.  Seriously, I paid $75 for the WJIII with only the academic portion, no cognitive, etc. What she's telling you is straight and honest, that there *is* a cognitive portion of the Woodcock Johnson available and that they can use that to track the progress they're getting with the Learning RX therapy.  And LRX *is* good.  

 

What you *don't* get with that is the issue.  No clue about accommodations.  None of the extra testing.  No help knowing if you should be pursuing other therapies or have more going on.  No specialized testing like CTOPP or TOVA.  No testing for spectrum, dysgraphia, expressive language issues, etc.  No help reading the tea leaves on how to INTERPRET those scores.  No help with applying them.  No help in the realm of "I sat down with your kid for 6+ hours and get them and I can tell you based on working with other kids that this is how you might want to approach xyz in the future".  No counseling, meds, referrals.  

 

Could *I* go back, having had a full psych eval, and know how to interpret that data from the WJIII Cognitive?  Sure.  But it still wouldn't get me that letter for accommodations and things.  So what do you say?  Just depends on how much $$ you've got to burn.  If you end up going for the psych eval, the WJIII stuff doesn't make that any cheaper.  The only reason to do the Learning RX eval is if you want to do their therapy.  You would only do their therapy if you're in a financial position to do their therapy.  If you can do their therapy, you can afford the np eval.  If your choice is between that therapy and an eval (not sure if I'm making sense here), I'd be hard-pressed to toss that coin and say.  I *thought* I wanted the therapy, but when push came to shove I needed the info from the evals more than I needed the therapy.  I had more options for therapy stuff I could do for free, but I didn't have more options on how to get those breakdowns and all that help to teach her.  

 

It's great therapy.  I think sometimes you have to triage, see what's your most pressing need, and go with your gut.  Go with your gut  It's not really about a wrong answer so much as a different answer, the order of things, and what will help you most and get the most peace in your house right now.  

 

Btw, the psych does a GAI using the WISC (IQ test).  I think with the WJ it's a GIA, same deal.  They adjust the full IQ score to account for the working memory and processing speed issues, trying to get you a score that is more representative of how they actually think.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I don't want to do their therapy.  What I wanted was to get information on what her strengths and weaknesses and specific disabilities were so that I could do the therapy myself.  But I do see that the testing that Learning Rx does is mainly to provide a benchmark for progress in their set programs  or at least that is the conclusion I got after looking at it and sending multiple e-mails for clarification.  

[PeterPan]

Yup, you're correct.  That's exactly why they're doing it.  They used to sell the materials, so you'll sometimes find sets of it floating around.  In theory you can do it yourself, but when done by someone who really knows what they're doing who has done it a lot, you're going to get more intensity and go at it more quickly and more confidently.  With some of this therapy stuff, the intensity of approach makes a difference.  Also, our VT place that does it brings more to the table, understanding visual processing, etc.  They do the entire thing in I forget how long.  Was it one week or a few weeks?  I've forgotten.  They do it like camp though, just very intense, bam bam.  Absolutely they get things to move.  You get a *percentage* from where you started though, and the quality of the results will depend on the therapist.  

 

It does sound, like you're saying, like you need to go for the full evals.  I know the cost is awful, but you'll be so glad to have it done.  That way you have help reading the tea leaves and know you're getting everything.  The psych found stuff in my dd that the Learning RX testing wouldn't even be looking for (writing automaticity, etc.).  So yeah, sorry, looks like you're going to want to plunk out.  But you know, Learning RX will be there in a few years if you decide you want to go back at it.  I think our VT place does the testing for free.  (of course the actual cost of therapy is high, ouch)  

 

You know, just as a total aside, it would be interesting to ponder whether Learning RX would be more effective after neurofeedback... That's something they can't tell you, because they're not going to send you to a competitor.  Our VT place told us to do more OT before we kept going with the VT and into PACE path we were on.  A Learning RX place might not do that, but someplace more medically oriented has that in their skill set to say yes, therapies should actually be done in an order depending on the kid's situation and that the order matters for some kids.  Not every kid with xyz has sensory or this or that.  In fact, I'm just on a total rabbit trail here, ok, I'll just stop.  It's late.  :)

 

Yup, you want the full evals.  You won't regret it.  Just take your time and find someone you feel confident in.  Took me a year and required multiple women from the boards here writing me privately and  :smash:  :smash:  :smash:  to get me to take the plunge.  You're doing better than I did.  :)

[Jean in Newcastle]

Thanks, Elizabeth.

[8filltheheart]

Jean,

 

If your dd suffers from anxiety at all or behaves differently under stress, just be aware of how much rapport with the evaluator can influence the results. You don't want to spend a huge amt of $$ to get results that aren't accurate. Also,be willing to know that the results may or may not really reflect your dd's real abilities if anxiety is an issue.. I think evals have their place, but a whole lot depends on how the child interacts with the evaluator. Our ds's WISC went up 30 complete pts on this latest round of testing. (if I hadn't believed that the first round testing was inaccurate, I would have expected his scores to have dropped b/c he is not mentally engaged in thinking/learning now at all and he was at least reading/learning, etc during the first round testing.) That leap in scores is a HUGE change and one that should not have occurred. What it really shows is more than anything else is just how much our ds shuts down under stress. Even with this latest round of testing, with 2nd-18th percentile processing speeds and his stress/anxiety issues, his over all score is still probably not an accurate reflection of his actual abilities. But at least this time the psy saw his extreme levels of anxiety and didn't just jump into the testing but spent time just talking to him and building some sort of relationship prior to beginning the evaluations.

 

I just want you to be aware that even with full blown neuropsy evals, you still don't get all the answers. The first time we went through them, I expected something different than what we received and when we received the results, I knew that parts were way off. The evals were just not some "ah-ha" moment for us. They have simply been more along the lines of confirming what we already suspected/knew. (really.....more like taking your child in to the dr with a sore throat and suspecting strep and the strep test confirming it.) Pinpointing the processing speeds was really the only thing we got answered. (and those were found the first time around even with his high levels of anxiety.) Yes, we got a multipage report.....but there was absolutely nothing in there I didn't already know from simply teaching/parenting him all those yrs.

 

If $$ is an issue, I would probably try to find a more affordable option first and see what that testing tells you and then decide whether or not spending thousands of $$ is the way you want to go for a neuropsy or a different form of evaluation. You could call university psy depts and see if they have student evaluators. I have seen quotes for those tests anywhere from $200-350.

 

ETA: Also, if she is going to need accommodations at the college level, the test results from age 11 won't be useable. Unless it has recently changed to 5 yrs, with ds the testing could not be older than 3 yrs in order to qualify for accommodations (and 7 yrs is definitely outside of any range I am aware of) Ds's testing had been just under 5 yrs old and in order to qualify for state assistance he had to have the updated testing (results within the 3 yr range) which is why he was re-tested. So, when budgeting for testing, between 11 and college you are most likely going to need a 2nd set of evals done.

 

ETA2: This thread might be of interest: http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/490633-what-did-iq-and-other-testing-tell-you-about-your-gifted-kids/?do=findComment&comment=5257230

The issues that are discussed further down in the thread might give you some ideas of questions to ask when seeking an evaluator.

[Tiramisu]

Having spent time looking at the websites of college disability offices last year, it's true that the testing has to be recent (usually within three years) but that, at the same time, some disabilities require a paper trail that goes back years. Because I have one with physical writing difficulties, I went ahead with an eval when she was 12 with an OT that was covered by insurance so I could start a paper trail--just in case--without a major investment. That was enough for her because I'm finding that I am able to accommodate well at home. It was a different situation with my oldest who really needed extensive testing to figure things out. I was also a lot more ignorant when I started out with her.

 

About choosing the right tester, we had the same experience as 8Fill. Dd has anxiety but she loved our first edpsy. She was a gentle, warm and fuzzy grandma type who spent a lot of time talking to her. Dd's verbal scores for that testing were *significantly* higher than for the neuropsych. 38% higher! Not only that, the neuropsych--who didn't chat at all--noted dd's facial expressions in the report in a critical way without realizing dd was anxious at all. I think she didn't like hsers and projected her negative feelings on dd. The warm, chatty edpsy elicited better verbal skills and a pleasant, smiling demeanor, as noted in the report, which is more like dd's true, real life, self.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Very good points on anxiety and the testers.  I wish all of this didn't cost so much money. . .

[kbutton]

Both psychs we used spread the WISC out over two office visits (they routinely spread out the subtests for more than one visit to reduce fatigue). One of them charged the test as a series of regular office visits ($90 each session--2 for testing and one for discussion), and the other billed for it as testing because we were approaching our deductible anyway. She would have billed it as several office visits if we needed her to. This seems to be common practice in our area. Once the WISC and Woodcock Johnson were out of the way, our psych added other tests based on her WISC findings, findings from surveys we completed, discussing specific problems with us, etc. For instance, she routinely does an auditory processing screening and refers out if the results indicate more testing is warranted. If she can't do a particular test and thinks it needs to be done, she helps us find someone to do it and stays involved in the findings. It has worked for us, and it's nice to have the cost spread out. She specializes in 2e, and we found her through contacts a local gifted program (a community program, not school-based).