Developmental & Educational Assessments

Pediatric psychologists and neuropsychologists comprehend typical and atypical child development and learning. As children encounter progressively heightened cognitive and scholastic requirements as time goes on, there is frequently a necessity for conducting regular re-evaluations. Certain conditions might not manifest their complete repercussions until later stages, as observed with the multitasking requirements of middle school or the amplified workload and writing expectations of high school.

Although the Israeli ministry of education considers an assessment valid for 5 years, most psychologists would agree that a 3 year span is probably the longest span to leave between assessments, especially for children with complex presentations and who need updated interventions and accommodations to optimize their functioning.

Focused reassessment can also be helpful in determining whether a particular intervention is having the desired effect. For example, if a dyslexic child has been receiving intensive reading intervention, assessment of their reading skills after 12 months will help render a decision as to whether to continue, discontinue or replace the particular reading approach.

1. If your child takes medication, make sure that you have discussed this with the examiner if it has been taken/not taken accordingly on the day of testing.
2. If your child’s physical condition or emotional state is somehow compromised on the day of testing, inform the examiner. For example: feeling under the weather; taking medication that would make one drowsy; a poor night’s sleep prior; a death in the family, etc. These types of things can affect performance on some of the tests used for psychological evaluations and in general testing should be postponed.
3. Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep prior to testing. Being sleepy during testing can affect overall concentration on timed tasks in particular.
4. Make sure your child is not hungry or thirsty before testing. Your child should bring a snack if testing is going to last for a prolonged period of time.
5. Make sure your child is comfortable asking for and taking breaks as needed. Testing can feel tiresome. Breaks are a good time to eat a snack, use the restroom, or jump on the exercise ball.
6. Make sure that your child’s assessment is scheduled at the right time of day. For preschool and school age children this is typically in the morning. Adolescents generally do better mid-morning early afternoon (provided they have not been in school earlier in the day). If children have been at school, they will likely not be able to show their optimal abilities.

Many children may wonder why they are having these tests and if there is something wrong with them. Listen to your child’s concerns and feelings about the evaluation and answer as straightforwardly as possible. It is helpful to be reassuring to your child. Proper preparation will help your child do his/her best, allow for a pleasant testing experience and help the examiner gather the most reliable results possible.

Most importantly, the goal in preparation is to help your child be as comfortable, relaxed and motivated as possible the day of testing. In explaining to your child why he/she is being tested you should offer reassurance that the information gathered from the evaluation will help you, their teachers, and others better understand his/her experiences, what kinds of things he/she has been having trouble with and what types of things he or she is really good or not so good at doing, and most importantly whether there are interventions and accommodations to help them. It is important to explain that assessment is not unusual.

Each school will offer different resources, depending upon their budget and need. It’s best to verify with a specific school regarding test accommodations, whether or not they allocate hours in the schedule for professional assistance, and if so what it includes: one-on-one help with a professional Hebrew teacher, help in small groups, help from volunteers, etc. If possible, it is best to talk to other Olim parents in the school concerning their experience.

It is always best to verify with the school guidance counselor, especially in schools which are unaccustomed to Olim children. You may have to do some advocacy on your child’s behalf.

Click here to find a verified assessment specialist.