Neuropsychology Program

What We Do: Helping You Help Your Child

Our team evaluates and works with children, adolescents and young adults with specific qualifying medical conditions. Our activity-based testing can identify strengths and weaknesses, such as memory or attention. We will:

• Determine what services and resources your child might need at home, school or in the community
• Create a plan that can be adapted as your child grows
• Recommend ways your child’s school and other caregivers can help your child learn
• Provide recommendations for special education services or Section 504 accommodations to meet your child’s needs

Your child will then visit regularly — usually every one to three years — through the formative years, and in some cases, into early adulthood. We’ll assess your child’s progress and make any needed changes to the care and learning plan.

“Will It Hurt?”

Our evaluations are activity-based, completely noninvasive and painless. Your child will play games, solve puzzles and answer questions. Our team members are skilled at working with children and helping reduce their stress during testing. The testing does take a few hours, but we’ll take breaks and make sure your child is relaxed and comfortable.

Often, children are anxious before the evaluation and may even have trouble sleeping the night before. Be sure you talk calmly to your child about the evaluation and let them know it will not hurt and is designed to help them, not to judge them. We don’t want your child to be worried about his or her performance or anything else. Just let them know they’re going to be safe, comfortable and cared for during the entire process, and that you are proud of them for doing it.

What We Don’t Do

We are not counselors, therapists or psychiatrists. Neuropsychology does not provide treatment for behavioral health issues, mood disorders such as depression or anxiety, or mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. We do not assess for autism or specific learning disabilities that are not related to a specific qualifying condition that affects brain development.

For Referring Physicians

Does the patient you’re referring have a qualifying medical condition? These include:

• Cancer
• Chromosomal abnormalities and genetic disorders such as Down syndrome
• Concussion
• Conditions requiring neurosurgery (pre- and post-assessment)
• Demyelinating conditions
• Epilepsy
• Fetal alcohol syndrome
• Meningitis
• Movement disorders
• Premature birth
• Stroke
• Transplant
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Any medical condition that can affect brain growth and development

If your referral concern is autism, please refer the child to Phoenix Children’s Hospital’s Autism Clinic.

If your referral concern is only attention/hyperactivity, please refer to our ADHD Clinic.If your referral concern is only for a learning disability, please refer to John L. Barton, PhD, the child’s school or a community provider. 

If your referral concern is mood or behavior, please refer to Psychology, Psychiatry or a community mental health provider.  

If your referral concern is ability to learn and recall information, language, attention, concentration, memory or other cognitive issues in the context of a qualifying medical condition, then that is an appropriate referral for Neuropsychology. Call 602-933-KIDS to make a referral.  

Please note: Our neuropsychology program is busy! We take referrals from physicians across the region and work with each family to ensure that those most in need of our services can access them as quickly as possible. Each case is prioritized according to medical need. 

National Leaders

Phoenix Children’s is consistently recognized as a “Best Children’s Hospital” by U.S. News & World Report. We are one of only 24 hospitals nationwide to receive top rankings in every surveyed specialty area.