Inpatient Services

Division of Pediatric Psychology and Neuropsychology

Definition and Services | Forms | Fellowship Program | Referrals | Staff

Definition

The specialty of pediatric neuropsychology employs knowledge of the developing brain and its relationship to cognition and behavior in the evaluation and treatment of children with known or suspected neurological dysfunction.

The specialist in pediatric neuropsychology is trained to diagnose and treat the cognitive and behavioral problems of the developing child as related to their neurological status.

Services

Pediatric neuropsychology services at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital are provided on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Services include brief and in-depth evaluation, consultation to the referring professional to assist with ongoing management or treatment, and consultation with the family and patient.

Indications for Service

Neuropsychological evaluation is indicated for a variety of disorders including: problems of learning or behavior thought to be related to a neurologic origin (e.g., epilepsy, acquired brain injury); medical disorders which affect neurological functioning (e.g., endocrine, cardiac, respiratory, neoplasms, neurotoxins); or psychiatric conditions that would be more fully understood with in-depth examination of neuropsychological factors.

BrainGoals of Service

The goal of the service is to provide an in-depth understanding of the child's functional strengths and deficits with pragmatic recommendations for short-term and long-term treatment planning. The pediatric neuropsychological evaluation examines a wide spectrum of functions in children that can be affected by neurological dysfunction including:

Neuropsychologic consultation can complement ongoing pediatric, neurologic, and psychologic/ psychiatric services by defining the neurologically-related aspects of the child/ adolescent's functional difficulties.