Muir Wood therapist, David Laing

Our Approach to Teen Neuropsych Testing

Neuropsychological testing is an extensive and comprehensive evaluation process that encompasses a wide range of tests and allows treatment specialists to identify areas of need and specific challenges that can be addressed through a personalized treatment program. At Muir Wood, each patient begins his experience with neuropsych testing. Starting with this process allows us to learn as much as possible about your son as quickly and efficiently as possible. We can find out about a wide range of his characteristics and abilities, including:

  • Cognitive functioning
  • Academic achievement
  • Executive functioning
  • Behavioral strengths and challenges
  • Motor skills
  • Linguistic abilities
  • Focus and concentration
  • Visual and spatial awareness
  • Memory
  • Information processing speed
  • Motivation
  • Personality

Through a number of different evaluations and tests, we can cull information that will help us make accurate diagnoses of issues related to learning, behavioral, and social abilities as well as mental health issues. If there are any central nervous system abnormalities contributing to your son’s problems, we can identify these as well. All of this information can help us to create a step-by-step treatment plan that utilizes different therapies to help your son progress efficiently in recovery, not only learning how to live a clean and sober life but learning how to manage the issues that are stopping him from living the successful life he deserves.

Learn more about our neuropsych evaluation and testing when you contact us at Muir Wood today. We can help identify the causes of the issues that are creating challenges for your son and provide him with the treatment he needs to move forward in life. Call now.

Comprehensive Neuropsych Testing Provides a Plethora of Information

For each of the areas listed above, there are anywhere from two to eight tests that are effective in gathering information about your son. Not all of them will necessarily be utilized for every patient. It depends upon initial assessments, the issues that your child is presenting with in addition to substance abuse issues, and other indicators that certain tests will be more revealing than others. In most cases, the sum total of all neuropsych testing will take no more than eight hours spread out as necessary to accommodate the patient. In some cases, it can take far less. Parents have access to all testing results and will be apprised of treatment plans as they are created and updated throughout treatment.

Benefits of Neuropsych Testing

There are a lot of unanswered “whys” when it comes to adolescent changes in behavior. Why does a child who was so happy in elementary school suddenly become morose, distant or belligerent? Why does your son have such a difficult time focusing in class – even in subjects he likes – but has no problem focusing on his favorite video game? Why is your son unwilling to follow basic rules at home, like going to school or being home by curfew?

Neuropsych testing helps to reveal the answers to your “why” questions and aid therapeutic specialists in the diagnostic process. When we have a diagnosis or diagnoses that accurately sum up the obstacles your child is facing, we can accurately create a treatment plan that addresses the deepest issues. In many cases, problems like substance abuse are symptomatic of other problems. Anything from brain injury to psychological trauma and behavioral or learning disorders can be the underlying issues that are creating the dysfunction. Your son may be turning to drugs and alcohol in an attempt to self-medicate the discomfort he feels related to his inability to manage the problems caused by these disorders. When we help him to manage those disorders and treat the root issue while also addressing substance abuse, we help him on every level and he is better equipped to function healthfully when he returns home.

Neuropsych Testing: One More Tool to Help Your Child

Neuropsych testing is one part of a process designed to help your child get the most out of his time spent here at Muir Wood. We also utilize:

  • Physical exams
  • Parental reports
  • Interviews with the patient
  • Clinical reports

With all of this information, we can build a unique initial treatment plan complete with goals and step-by-step therapeutic intervention to help your son achieve those goals. As he moves forward in treatment, each of these goals will be adjusted and his treatment plan will change to address new treatment goals until your son reaches a point of balance in recovery that will allow him to successfully return home.

Contact us today at Muir Wood and speak to a counselor about beginning the process of neuropsych testing and evaluation for your child.