Personalized assessments as a pathway to success.
Our services
Psychoeducational Assessment
Psychoeducational testing requires a comprehensive specialized assessment to obtain detailed information about a person’s social/emotional, behavioural, intellectual, and academic functioning. These comprehensive assessments help identify areas of strength and areas needing support that are unique to each child, and can identify giftedness, as well as developmental, learning, or attention-related disorders.
Individuals seeking a referral for a psychoeducational assessment often want diagnostic clarification, recommendations that will improve academic, social, and household functioning, and information for an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or accommodations for young adults beginning college and university.
Learning Disabilities
Assessments for children, adolescents and young adults may determine an individual’s learning profile and whether or not a specific Learning Disability (known as a Learning Disorder) is present. A learning disorder diagnosis is made when a child demonstrates core difficulties in one (or more) of the following three foundational learning areas: reading, mathematics, or written expression. Gaining a clear understanding of a child’s learning profile can be very helpful in making decisions about academic, career, and life goals.
Autism Spectrum Disorder
The number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder has increased in recent years. Obtaining a comprehensive evaluation and accurate diagnosis is a critical step in helping your child get the support needed to thrive. Embarking on the assessment process can seem overwhelming for parents of a child who may be experiencing significant developmental delays, including social, behavioral, and communication difficulties.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a wide range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication. In order to achieve the most accurate diagnosis, we use the The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2), which is considered the gold standard assessment measure for Autism Spectrum Disorder. It is a semi-structured, standardized assessment that provides a context in which an individual’s communication, social interactions, and other behaviors relevant to Autism Spectrum Disorder are observed.
The ADOS-2 is not a cognitive assessment; it is designed to measure atypical development in the areas of communication, social interaction, and use of specific materials. The administration of the ADOS-2 alone is often not sufficient to address all concerns regarding behaviour, and therefore additional testing is administered in order to complete a full comprehensive psychological assessment. In particular, it is important to consider co-occurring disorders when assessing for an Autism Spectrum Disorder, such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Tic Disorders (e.g., Tourette’s Disorder) as well as Mood and Anxiety Disorders. Care is taken with each assessment through a comprehensive approach to diagnosis, with an emphasis on clear and targeted recommendations designed to support your child’s needs.
ADHD
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can manifest as difficulties with attention, concentration, organization, hyperactivity, impulsivity, or any combination of these. It is a complex disorder that interferes with daily functioning and can vary across individuals. The different types of symptoms associated with ADHD highlight the need for an accurate diagnosis, targeted recommendations and accommodations, as well as evidence-based treatment strategies.
The symptoms of ADHD appear to be straightforward to detect, but these symptoms may also be difficult to disentangle from other challenges or diagnoses. In addition, ADHD can, but not always, co-occur with other diagnoses, such as Learning Disabilities and Anxiety Disorders. Another complicating factor in making a diagnosis of ADHD is that the associated symptoms of inattention, distractibility, and hyperactivity may be exacerbated by certain life stressors.
In order to make a definitive diagnosis of ADHD and rule out other conditions that cause similar difficulties, we conduct a comprehensive assessment tailored to each child’s needs. The assessment typically includes a structured background interview, standardized measures assessing attention, impulsivity, and executive functioning, standardized measures to help rule out a Learning Disability or other learning challenges, and standardized measures examining social, emotional, behavioural and psychological symptoms to differentiate between ADHD symptoms and those common to other disorders.