Who Benefits From Your Child’s Psychological Testing?

The Colorado Center for Assessment and Counseling Offers Psychological Testing for Children in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado

It’s not easy seeing your child struggle in school. Finding the right kind of support for your child can also be a struggle. Most parents who come to our office in Fort Collins found us through their child’s school recommending their child undergo psychological testing. While this is a fairly common request for schools looking to implement any kind of accommodations or an IEP, most parents are not familiar with the process, and how it will actually help their child.

There are two images that might come to mind when you think of psychologists: One is seeing your little child lying on a couch, talking about their feelings to someone taking notes; and the other is your child wired up to a computer undergoing some kind of brain centered scientific research. With these images in mind, as well as seeing their child struggle in school, social interactions, staying focused, or whatever else the case may be, it can be hard to understand how psychological testing actually benefits them.

First, Here’s What Psychological Testing Looks Like at Our Practice:

• We schedule 3-4 appointments over 2-3 weeks.
• The first appointment is a 2-hour appointment, just for parents, where we get a full history of your child, and go over your current concerns.
• The second appointment, if needed, is a 1-hour, anonymous school observation. With your and the school’s permission, one of our clinicians will observe your child in the classroom and during times of transition.
• The third appointment is a full day of testing. Your child will come into our office and work through a variety of tests, puzzles, games, have conversations, answer some straightforward questions, tell stories, draw, and other measures. This day of testing gives our practice the opportunity to understand your child’s IQ, learning style, their strengths and weaknesses, attention, executive functioning, and many other areas of understanding.
• The fourth appointment is a 1-hour parent feedback session, where you will receive a diagnostic overview, referrals for ongoing care, the results of our testing, and plenty of helpful recommendations.

So Who Does This Benefit and How?

1. Your child

Our testing is a great way for your child to understand how they learn. It’s really empowering when your child gets that he learns best by hearing a teacher explain things rather than reading instructions. And when your child understands how their brain works best, they will learn how to advocate for themselves as they go through their life in school.

2. You (The Parent)

One of the greatest strengths of psychological testing is that we are able to provide clarity. Oftentimes, children come to our office, and parents and teachers list off several issues they don’t understand. “He can’t sit still. She forgets what she just read. He can’t seem to control his outbursts. She doesn’t get along with her siblings…” The list goes on an on.

Children come to our practice with all these knotted up issues that parents and teachers aren’t sure how to help. With insightful and in-depth psychological testing, we can help “untie the knots” and provide clear practical ways of understanding. Countless times children have come into our office who have been labeled and treated as if they had this one issue, and it turned out, that simply wasn’t the case.

3. Your Child’s School

If your child is struggling at school, it is in the best interest of his school that he find supports to help him thrive. No good teacher wants to label a student as a troubled kid, or beyond help. They want to give instruction and help to children to the best of their ability. But it can be difficult for them if it is unclear as to what would actually help. While schools may be limited in their ability to diagnose your child, once there is clarity, most schools are able to provide straightforward, practical, appropriate help to your child.

4. Your Child’s Future Spouse and Other Significant Relationships

When children are able to find proper support and interventions at an early age, they are able to overcome challenges far more easily than otherwise. This sets your child up for success sooner and it will directly affect how they relate to their family members and other relationships. For example, when a child is able to join in social skills groups at a younger age, they are able to have the tools they need to navigate the swirl of relational challenges from middle school to college. Early help makes long-term change possible.

We’re Here to Help!

Our clinicians specialize in psychological testing and neuropsychological assessment with children, for concerns like ADHD, dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, and mood disorders at our offices in Fort Collins. Feel free to give us a call to learn how counseling could be helpful or to schedule an appointment. You can reach us at (970) 889-8204 or contact@coloradocac.com.