Evaluations
Customized Assessments for Each Student
Autism
Children and adults on the autistic spectrum have significant difficulties in their social and communication skills. Their language may be slow to develop, and their speech may include peculiar patterns or a formal, monotone voice pattern. Social problems may include difficulty understanding other people’s feelings, a lack of pretend play, and an impaired ability to develop friendships. Often, eye contact with others is avoided. Additionally, these individuals frequently demonstrate insistence on sameness and routine, have difficulty with change or transitions, and may have strong interests in a particular area. Our evaluations for Autism/Asperger’s Disorder thoroughly evaluate this array of characteristics, as well as cognitive skills, adaptive functioning (everyday independence), sensory processing (reactions to sound, touch, taste, movement), and academic performance (as relevant). Many of our clinicians have been trained in the ADOS-2 (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - Second Edition) for assessing characteristics of autism spectrum disorder.
Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities are determined to exist when children have difficulty learning even though they have the cognitive capability and have been in an appropriate educational environment. Dyslexia is the term used when individuals have difficulty learning to read. Dysgraphia is the term used when individuals have difficulty with writing. Dyscalculia is the term used when individuals have difficulty with mathematics.
Dyslexia is the most common learning disability. Most people with dyslexia have trouble recognizing the basic sounds of speech (phonemes). They often have trouble connecting the speech sound (the /b/ sound) with the letter symbol for that sound (“b”). Difficulties with phonological processing make it hard for people with dyslexia to sound out words. Because of the time it often takes to sound out a word, the meaning of the word is often lost which can result in poor reading comprehension. Trouble with spelling is often found as well, given the difficulties in putting phonemes together to form words. Some children also have difficulty with orthographic processing. Successful readers use visual memory, or orthographic processing, to retain the way words look in print so they can read fluently. They need to sound out words less frequently because they recognize them from previous exposure. Rapid automated naming (RAN) can also be a concern. This is the ability to rapidly retrieve and orally express information stored in long-term memory. Fluent reading depends on a complex set of cognitive processes that must work together in perfect concert.
Early detection of dyslexia is key to remediation. Warning signs, beginning in preschool and kindergarten, include pronunciation or articulation challenges, difficulty rhyming words, problems learning the connection between letters and sounds, letter reversals, inversions, transpositions, difficulty sounding out words, and resistance to reading activities.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Children and adults with attentional difficulties vary greatly and do not all have the same difficulties. Persons who are predominantly inattentive often ignore details, make careless mistakes, have trouble sustaining attention, problems following instructions or finishing tasks, or appear forgetful or disorganized. Children who are predominantly hyperactive-impulsive are often fidgety, have trouble staying seated, are often in constant motion, tend to talk excessively, and often blurt out answers and interrupt others. Some children demonstrate difficulties in both of these areas. Overall, it is important to note that individuals with ADHD can pay attention. However, they have problems with what they pay attention to, how long they pay attention, and under what circumstances they stay attentive. Their difficulties pervasively affect their life, both at home and at school. People with ADHD generally have difficulties with working memory (the ability to keep information in mind that needs to be used to make decisions and guide behavior) and executive functioning, which includes the abilities to plan, organize, multi-task, prioritize, persist, and self-monitor when completing tasks.
In order to provide a thorough evaluation of all relevant factors in an individual’s situation, we offer a comprehensive ADHD assessment. This assessment evaluates a child's or adult's history of difficulty, current cognitive functioning, academic performance, current behavior, executive functioning, virtual reality attention testing, and screening for social/emotional issues.
CPEA uses the latest technology to assess attention in both children and adults. Continuous performance tests have been used to evaluate attention and distractibility under high and low demand situations. These are typically computerized tests that has a person respond to certain stimuli when it is presented and ignore other stimuli.
Updated Testing for College/Graduate School
We now offer virtual as well as in-person reduced-fee assessments specifically for college students needing updated testing for accommodations
Education beyond high school can be exciting and stressful, especially if you have a learning or attention disorder! The office of disability services at many colleges, technical schools, and universities provide extensive support for their students with an identified condition that is substantially limiting IF they have a current evaluation (typically within the last 3 to 4 years.) However, once you get to school, it may be hard to find an option for an updated evaluation to get the services you need to succeed. If you are not in the metro Atlanta area, we can complete the evaluation via telehealth, eliminating the need for travel. Please see our college testing website for details: www.ed-testing.com
or download our brochure
