How to Choose the Right Neuropsychologist for Your Child
Choosing a neuropsychologist is an important decision.
A comprehensive evaluation is more than a series of tests. It should help you understand why your child is struggling, identify their strengths, and provide a clear plan for moving forward. It should not solely tell you what is average or below average.
Whether your concerns involve reading, writing, ADHD, executive functioning, anxiety, or simply the feeling that "something isn't adding up," asking the right questions before scheduling can help you choose the evaluator who is the best fit for your family.
Start by Asking These Questions
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Start by Asking These Questions 〰️
Who will actually conduct my child's evaluation?
One of the first questions to ask is who will spend the most time with your child.
Some practices use technicians or trainees to administer testing, while the neuropsychologist interprets the results afterward. Other practices have the neuropsychologist personally conduct every part of the evaluation.
This matters because test scores only tell part of the story. An experienced neuropsychologist is also observing how your child approaches difficult tasks, responds to mistakes, manages frustration, solves problems, and uses strategies throughout the evaluation.
Those observations often explain why a child is struggling in ways that numbers alone cannot.
Who will actually conduct my child's evaluation?
One of the first questions to ask is who will spend the most time with your child.
Some practices use technicians or trainees to administer testing, while the neuropsychologist interprets the results afterward. Other practices have the neuropsychologist personally conduct every part of the evaluation.
This matters because test scores only tell part of the story. An experienced neuropsychologist is also observing how your child approaches difficult tasks, responds to mistakes, manages frustration, solves problems, and uses strategies throughout the evaluation.
Those observations often explain why a child is struggling in ways that numbers alone cannot.
Does the evaluator regularly assess children with concerns like ours?
Not every neuropsychologist specializes in the same areas.
If your concerns involve learning disabilities, ADHD, executive functioning, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, giftedness, or school performance, ask how frequently the clinician evaluates those concerns. For example, Dr. Duhning specializes in learning disabilities but often refers to an autism specialist for autism concerns.
Children with similar symptoms may have very different underlying causes. The evaluation should help distinguish what the difficulty is and why it is happening.
Will the evaluation be individualized?
It should be. No two children are exactly alike.
A child who reads slowly requires a different evaluation than a child who guesses words. A child whose handwriting is illegible needs a different assessment than a child who struggles to organize ideas on paper.
The best evaluations are designed around your child's history, strengths, challenges, and the questions you want answered, not simply a standard battery of tests given to everyone.
Will the evaluation explain why my child is struggling?
Parents rarely come looking for a diagnosis alone.
They want answers to questions like:
Why is homework taking three hours?
Why does my child work so much harder than classmates?
Why is reading still difficult after tutoring?
Why is writing such a battle?
Why is my child so bright but not performing like they're capable of?
A comprehensive evaluation should connect the testing results to the challenges you're seeing every day and explain how everything fits together.
Will academic skills be evaluated in enough depth?
If school is the concern, ask exactly what academic testing is included.
A truly comprehensive evaluation may assess:
Reading accuracy
Reading fluency
Reading comprehension
Phonological processing
Rapid naming
Spelling
Handwriting
Written expression
Writing fluency
Math calculation
Math fluency
Math reasoning
This level of detail often helps identify subtle learning disabilities that may otherwise be overlooked.
Will the recommendations actually help my child?
One of the biggest differences between evaluations is the quality of the recommendations.
Some reports provide general suggestions that could apply to almost any child.
Others explain why each recommendation is being made and how it addresses your child's specific learning profile.
Good recommendations should help parents, teachers, tutors, therapists, and other professionals understand exactly how to support your child.
Learn more about accommodations.
Will the report make sense to me?
Parents should never leave an evaluation feeling like they need someone else to explain the report.
The report should clearly answer:
What are my child's strengths?
What is making school difficult?
Is there a diagnosis?
What should we do first?
What should we ask the school for?
Which recommendations matter most?
Will the evaluation help us make school decisions?
Many families schedule an evaluation because they need help making an educational decision.
Questions often include:
Should we request an IEP or a 504 Plan?
Is tutoring enough?
Would occupational therapy help?
Does my child need structured literacy intervention?
Is private school the right fit?
Are accommodations appropriate?
Ask whether the evaluator has experience translating testing results into practical educational recommendations.
Learn more about school vs private neuropsychological evaluations.
Is Private Pay Worth It?
This is one of the most common questions parents ask.
The answer depends less on how the evaluation is paid for and more on what you receive.
Insurance-based evaluations can be an excellent option for many families and may reduce out-of-pocket costs. However, insurance plans often determine what services are covered, how much testing is authorized, and which providers are available. In some areas, families may also encounter long wait times.
Private-pay evaluations typically offer greater flexibility. The clinician can select testing based on your child's needs rather than insurance requirements, spend more time reviewing records and interpreting results, and provide detailed recommendations focused on both educational and clinical planning.
Instead of asking, "Is private pay worth it?" consider asking:
Will this evaluation answer all of our questions?
Is it comprehensive enough for our child's needs?
Will the recommendations actually help at school and at home?
Will we leave with a clear plan?
At Duhning Psychological Services, every evaluation is designed to answer the specific questions that brought your family in. Rather than working within insurance limitations, Dr. Courtney Duhning is able to tailor the evaluation to your child's needs, carefully review school records and teacher input, and provide detailed recommendations that families can use long after testing is complete.
Should We Wait for a Highly Recommended Neuropsychologist?
Parents often find themselves deciding between waiting months or even more than a year for a well-known evaluator or scheduling sooner with someone who has earlier availability.
There isn't one right answer.
If your child has a very specific or rare medical condition requiring a highly specialized evaluation, waiting for that particular specialist may make sense.
However, for many children, waiting another school year may also mean another year of:
Falling behind academically
Homework struggles
Frustration and declining confidence
Missed opportunities for intervention
Delayed accommodations or support
A shorter waitlist does not necessarily mean a clinician is less qualified.
During your consultation, ask yourself:
Did the evaluator really listen?
Did they ask thoughtful questions?
Did they seem to understand what we're experiencing?
Did they explain the process clearly?
Do I trust them with my child?
Those questions are often more meaningful than the length of a waitlist.
At Duhning Psychological Services, families frequently share that they appreciated being able to begin the evaluation process promptly rather than waiting many months while their child continued to struggle. Early answers often allow families to put supports in place sooner and begin helping their child with greater confidence.
Our Approach at Duhning Psychological Services
We believe parents deserve more than a diagnosis.
Our goal is that every family leaves understanding:
✓ Why their child is struggling.
✓ What their child's strengths are.
✓ How their learning profile affects school and everyday life.
✓ Which recommendations are likely to make the greatest difference.
✓ What the next step should be.
Every evaluation at Duhning Psychological Services is personally conducted by Dr. Courtney Duhning, allowing the testing, clinical observations, interpretation, report writing, and parent feedback session to be thoughtfully connected from beginning to end.
Parents often tell us that, for the first time, they finally understand why things have been so difficult and leave with a clear plan for helping their child move forward.
How Families Describe Their Experience at Duhning Psychological Services
When parents tell us why they chose Dr. Courtney Duhning, they often mention the same things.
Every evaluation is personally conducted by Dr. Courtney Duhning.
From testing to interpretation, report writing, and the feedback meeting, your child works directly with Dr. Duhning throughout the entire process.
The evaluation is built around your child.
Testing is selected based on your child's unique strengths, challenges, developmental history, and the questions your family hopes to answer.
The focus is on understanding and not just diagnosing.
The goal is to explain why your child is struggling and identify the supports that will make the greatest difference at home and at school.
Reports are detailed but easy to understand.
Families receive a comprehensive report written in clear language, along with practical recommendations they can confidently share with schools and other professionals.
Parents leave with a plan.
The feedback meeting is designed to answer your questions, explain the findings, and help you understand exactly what to do next.
Schedule a Consultation
If you're comparing neuropsychologists, the consultation is an opportunity to ask questions, discuss your concerns, and determine whether the evaluation is the right fit for your child.
You don't need to know whether your child has ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, executive functioning difficulties, or something else before reaching out.
Sometimes the only thing parents know is that their child is working much harder than they should be.
If you're looking for answers, we'd be happy to help.
Schedule a consultation with Dr. Courtney Duhning to discuss your concerns and learn whether a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation is the right next step.