Pediatric Neuropsychology Clinic’s goal is to integrate neuropsychological assessment and education programming. Dr. Sporri is not only a pediatric neuropsychologist, she also has a Master’s degree in Special Education. This enables her to better integrate the neuropsychological assessment with education, but more importantly her background enables her to translate the information gained through the evaluation directly into teaching strategies and treatment planning. Her goal is to provide families and teachers with a better understanding of their child's learning profile and to identify strategies and treatment recommendations based on that profile.
Over the last decade, great gains have been made in understanding the brain-behavior relationship. Obviously, information we have gained in neuroscience should help us in the classroom and influence teaching strategies and interventions. The processes of learning, memory, and attention are critical components of the education experience. However, teachers are often not taught about the neuropsychological underpinnings of learning or learning difficulties and how it may impact day to day teaching. It is Dr. Sporri's hope to help parents/teachers integrate and connect the knowledge of how the brain works with teaching and learning in the classroom and at home.
WHAT IS NEUROPSYCHOLOGY?
Pediatric neuropsychologists are licensed psychologists who have specialty training in how the brain develops and understanding learning and behavior in relationship to a child’s brain functioning. A neuropsychological evaluation assists in better understanding a child’s functioning in areas such as attention, memory, executive function, processing speed, reasoning, perception, coordination, language, and personality. Recommendations for interventions and educational programming are then tailored to the child based on his/her learning profile. Common disorders that a neuropsychologist helps evaluate include developmental/learning problems, brain injury, or medical diseases/treatment that may impact cognition.
Often, neuropsychologists work closely with parents, teachers, other pediatric specialities (i.e., neurology, psychiatry, occupation and speech therapists) by providing comprehensive information on learning and behavior. Results of the neuropsychological assessment may assist in diagnosis, educational planning (i.e. IEP, 504 accommadations), medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Pediatric neuropsychologists help parents, teachers, and physicians to: