Neuropsychology: Who, What, and Why?

As Speech-Language Pathologists, we work closely with other healthcare professionals in order to ensure that your child receives holistic, collaborative, and comprehensive care. One field that is closely related to ours is the field of neuropsychology. Oftentimes, a referral to a neuropsychologist will be recommended following a speech-language-literacy assessment. Who are neuropsychologists? What do they do? Why do we make these referrals?

Who Are Neuropsychologists?
A Neuropsychologist is a psychologist who specializes in the brain’s relationship to cognition, behavior, and learning. They are highly qualified individuals with Doctorates in Philosophy (PhD) or Doctorates in Psychology (PsyD). They work closely with your child’s pediatrician and other healthcare providers in order to assess your child’s ability to learn, process, and understand the world.

What Do Neuropsychologists Do?
A Neuropsychologist is especially trained to diagnose the presence or absence of disorders related to attention, memory, intellect, personality, emotions, learning, reasoning, and visuo-spatial skills. Categories of disorders diagnosed by a neuropsychologist are developmental disorders, learning disorders, emotional disorders, and neurological disorders. A developmental disorder might include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Intellectual Disability. Learning disorders include Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Discalculia. A neuropsychologist is also qualified to diagnose emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, as well as neurological impairments related to stroke, traumatic brain injury, and seizures. The neuropsychological assessment process includes direct standardized testing, clinical observations, interviews, and questionnaires for family members and caretakers.

Why Do We Make These Referrals?
A Speech-Language Pathologist is qualified to diagnose and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders. However, oftentimes these impairments have comorbidities (i.e., simultaneous overlap with other conditions), and are only one piece of a larger diagnostic puzzle. It is important to have a full picture of your child’s strengths and weaknesses cognitively and behaviorally in order to implement the most effective and individualized treatment plan, especially if there are other neuropsychological conditions influencing their speech, language, or literacy skills.

Neuropsychological assessments are not always warranted following a visit with a Speech-Language Pathologist. For example, a child with a minor speech delay and an age-appropriate cognitive and behavioral profile may simply benefit from a round of targeted speech articulation treatment. However, another child with mixed expressive-receptive language impairment, reading delays, social communication difficulties, sensory deficits, and/or poor attention to task may benefit from a visit with a neuropsychologist to rule out other conditions such as ADHD, autism, or developmental delay. This child may benefit from other accommodations, therapy techniques, and supports- in addition to speech-language treatment- in order to thrive in their environment.