TESTING & EVALUATION

The Ann Arbor Center is pleased to offer comprehensive assessments to evaluate a variety of presenting concerns. Psychological assessment is often used to identify a diagnosis and determine services. For many of children this process has considerable influence on diagnosis, special education certification/Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) implementation, and service delivery. We will work with you each step of the process to understand the procedures, the results, and the recommendations. Further, we will follow-up with the school or other treatment providers (at your request) to ensure that the treatment plan is implemented.

We evaluate:

Learning Difficulties (Reading, Mathematics, Handwriting)
ADHD: Attention, Impulsivity, Distractibility, Hyperactivity
Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Asperger's Syndrome
Nonverbal Learning Disorders
Early Childhood Developmental Delay
Giftedness
School Readiness
Traumatic Brain Injury

TESTING F.A.Q.

How do I know if my child needs testing?

If you feel there is something "not quite right," parental intuition is often accurate about concerns that others do not pick up on until later.
A pediatrician or school may make a referral.
It is your right to seek out an evaluation at any time.

Why is assessment important?

For many children, psychological testing is the gateway to services. In other words, schools or other agencies may not accept a diagnosis unless a formal assessment has been completed.
Standardized tests yield data that compares a child's performance in a very specific area to a large number of children of the same age. Thus, a formal assessment provides data that is more reliable than clinical opinion alone.
A formal assessment provides a 'road map' of your child's strengths and weaknesses (i.e., how your child learns).

What does a full assessment include?

Intake: The purpose of intake is to obtain a history, review available records, and understand parental questions and concerns so that tests can be tailored to the ultimate purpose of the assessment.
Testing:
- Must assess ALL areas of suspected difficulty. These may include:
- Testing must be delivered in the mode that the child can understand. We are able to evaluate children from birth through adolescence and offer specialized assessments for children who do not yet have expressive language, are hearing impaired, or who speak English as a second language.
- Testing must take into account input from parents/caregivers and teachers. In order to accomplish this, questionnaires will be provided for these individuals to complete and interviews will be performed when possible.

How will I receive feedback?

Parents are provided with a full assessment report documenting the findings. These results will be discussed with the family in detail during a feedback session and individualized recommendations will be provided and explained.

What do I tell my child?

Reassure them that the reason for assessment is to figure out why some things continue to be difficult despite all of the child's hard work. Many children are concerned that a learning disability equates to 'dumb' or 'stupid' when in actuality, a learning disorder means at least average intelligence but difficulty doing schoolwork despite this level of intelligence. Numerous bright and successful people have struggled with learning disabilities (e.g., Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill).
Explain that they will answer questions, but will also do puzzles, drawing, tell stories and play some other games as well.
They only have to do their best. They cannot "fail." There is no grade for this like in school.
Reassure them that they are not 'stupid' or 'crazy.' We are doing this to make life more comfortable.