Leah A. McGuire, Ph.D.
Pediatric Neuropsychologist

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions:

 

 

What Is A Neuropsychological Evaluation?

A neuropsychological evaluation is the most comprehensive assessment of your child's current functioning. 

 

 

What Is The Purpose Of An Evaluation?

An evaluation provides a detailed understanding of your child's strengths and needs. This is helpful in determining how your child learns best and what supports your child may need to function at their fullest potential. This knowledge will inform you on how to maximize your child's academic, behavioral, social, and emotional successes both at home and at school.

 

Evidence-based interventions, remediation, and support strategies will be specifically tailored to reflect your child’s needs, strengths, and interests to foster success. Dr. McGuire has experience collaborating closely with schools, educational advocates, families, lawyers, physicians, and other treatment providers to ensure that your child receives seamless support services throughout the evaluation.

 

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Who Would Benefit From An Evaluation?

Families seek out evaluations for many reasons. Every evaluation is unique. One common theme shared by ALL families is to have a detailed understanding of their child’s profile (i.e., their strengths and areas of concern). This understanding allows parents to support and optimize their child’s functioning both at home and at school. Youth who typically benefit from an evaluation present with:

• Interest in gaining information about their cognitive and learning profiles in order to maximize academic, social, and emotional successes at home and at school

• Gifted and Talented Testing

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder / Attentional Weaknesses

• Executive Functioning Weaknesses (e.g., inhibition, planning, organization of thoughts and/or materials, cognitive flexibility)

• Learning Disorders

• Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Behavior Difficulties

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Communication Difficulties / Language Disorders

• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder / Trauma

• Social Skill Weaknesses

• Memory and Learning Profiles (i.e., how your child learns new information most efficiently)

  

 

What Areas of Functioning Are Assessed?

Dr. McGuire's assessment battery evaluates functioning in a number of areas, such as the following:

• Intelligence (IQ)

• Verbal and Language Abilities (e.g., Verbal Knowledge, Verbal Reasoning, Receptive Language / Understanding Language, Expressive Language / Formulating Language)

• Nonverbal Abilities

• Memory and Learning (i.e., how to study and learn most efficiently)

• Executive Functioning (i.e., mental processes that direct an individual’s thoughts, actions, and emotions, particularly during active problem solving)

• Adaptive Functioning (how well individuals meet the common demands of life and how independent they are compared to their same-aged peers)

• Social Skills

• Emotional Functioning / Self-Esteem

• Sleepiness

• Vocational Interests

 

 

Will the Evaluation Be Covered by My Insurance?

Dr. McGuire is an out-of-network provider. Before starting the evaluation process, you may want to contact your insurance company to ask what services are covered. She will be glad to provide you with commonly used billing codes. Once testing is complete, Dr. McGuire can provide you with an official statement that you can submit to seek reimbursement from your insurance company for any covered expenses for treatment.

 

 

Does Dr. McGuire Provide Therapy?

Dr. McGuire is not currently able to accommodate therapy patients; however, she would be glad to provide you with recommendations regarding providers who may be able to meet your needs.

 

 

What typically happens during the evaluation process?

Every evaluation is unique because every person is unique. Below please find a brief overview of what may occur during the evaluation process:

 

Step 1:  Free Consultation:

You will complete a free consultation with one of our wonderful team members to determine you needs.

 

Step 2:  Preparing for Intake:

You will receive forms to complete and return prior to your intake appointment to help guide your collaboration with Dr. McGuire.

 

Step 3:  Intake / Comprehensive Parent Interview:

You will have a virtual intake appointment with Dr. McGuire. This appointment is typically one hour. Your child should not attend this appointment. Dr. McGuire meets with the patient’s parent(s) or legal guardian(s) to review the patient's developmental history and provide a focus for the assessment. During this meeting, Dr. McGuire collaborates with you to identify presenting concerns and goals.

 

Step 4: Gathering Additional Information:

 

Classroom Observation (If Applicable And With Parent Consent):

With your consent, and when indicated, it is often helpful to observe your child within the classroom setting. Dr. McGuire's experiences and training in School Psychology enable her to understand the ways in which the classroom environment may be helping and hindering your child's ability to access their education. This additionally informs recommended supports and interventions that may assist your child in reaching their full potential.

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Interviews with Members of Your Child's Team (If Applicable And With Parent Consent):

With your consent, it is often helpful to speak with individuals who know your child very well in order to obtain a clear understanding of your child's functioning across settings (e.g., teachers, pediatricians, therapists, prescribers, other providers). Dr. McGuire will integrate the expertise obtained from various team members to create a unique profile of your child. This information then allows all team members to fully understand your child's unique needs and inform the best supports for your child.

 

Step 5: Testing: 

Dr. McGuire's assessment batteries are determined based on your child's presenting and reported concerns and based upon your child's performances during testing. Testing batteries reflect your child's unique needs. The battery utilizes verbal, nonverbal, iPad, computer-based, and paper and pencil tasks. Dr. McGuire's evaluations are flexible, and she typically adds measures to the testing battery based on your child's performance during testing sessions. As such, testing batteries vary in length and typically involve two to four testing sessions[TB1]  that may last two to four hours each. Snack and stretching breaks are provided. Dr. McGuire is flexible in scheduling appointments to ensure that your child performs at their maximum potential. Although comprehensive, testing sessions are a very positive experience. Testing will be completed by Dr. McGuire and by highly-trained technicians, who trained under Dr. McGuire. Dr. McGuire closely oversees the entire testing process.

 

Step 6: Parent Feedback: 

Dr. McGuire will provide you with the results of the evaluation, as well as, recommendations and resources to support your child. She will ensure that you have a detailed understanding of your child’s unique profile. Recommendations are provided to accommodate and bolster any identified areas of concern. This appointment is typically one hour in duration.

 

Step 7: Written Documents: 

Dr. McGuire will provide you with the following written documents to complement your conversation.

 

Comprehensive Evaluation Report:

Parents / Guardians will be provided with a comprehensive written evaluation. This report provides information regarding your child's functioning across the aforementioned areas and provides recommendations, as needed. It is, essentially, your child's brain on paper. Recommendations focus on strengthening and supporting any areas of vulnerability and on utilizing your child's unique profile of strengths and needs to improve their functioning in and outside of school. Dr. McGuire remains available should additional referrals and consultation be needed.

 

Abbreviated Evaluation Report:

Parents / Guardians may prefer to share these brief written documents with ancillary members of a child's team (e.g., tutors, teachers).

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Summary of Scores:

This document includes your child's performances on all assessed areas of functioning.

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Brief Overview of Feedback:

This document provides a concise overview of your child's strengths, needs, diagnoses, and most important supports.

 

Step 8: Check-In:  

Dr. McGuire and her team will ensure that you fully understand the results of the evaluation and can use them to meaningfully improve your child’s functioning both at home and at school.

 

Step 9: Child / Adolescent Feedback: 

When appropriate, Dr. McGuire conducts a separate, brief feedback appointment with your child. This empowers your child to better understand and advocate for their needs.

 

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How do I start the process?

You can call (908-758-4030), email (info@leahmcguire.com), or website message us in order to set up a free phone consultation with one of our wonderful team members. This person will learn a bit more about your child to determine how Dr. McGuire can be helpful. This may result in an evaluation or in the provision of outside referrals and resources.