These are ‘hot’ topics of interest

We Offer Autism Testing

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We offer autism testing because across our great nation, autism diagnoses continue to increase. According to results from a recent CDC funded study, the autism prevalence was that 1 in 36 children had autism. For every one girl identified with autism, four boys were identified. For the first time, more African-American, Hispanic, and Asian children were identified than White children.  Researchers agree that early identification and use of evidenced based treatments lead to the best outcomes for children with autism.

We test children for autism starting at age 2.  There is no one test or even a medical test or blood test to diagnose autism.  In our practice we utilize the gold standard assessment called the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule or ADOS, second edition.  In addition, we use caregiver interviews and tests of language, attention, intelligence, and memory.

Autism Diagnostic Criteria

Five criteria should be met for a psychologist to diagnose Autism Spectrum Disorder. First, the child must demonstrate deficits in social communication and social interaction across settings. Second, the child must display restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities, currently or by history. Third, the child’s symptoms must have started early. Fourth, there must be evidence of a significant impairment. Fifth, the symptoms must not be caused by another mental or physical condition.

Evidence Based Autism Treatment

If your child is diagnosed with autism, we recommend you start with treatments identified by the National Clearinghouse on Autism Evidence and Practice. These are 28 evidenced based practices that independent research documented best help children with autism.  Treatments include ABA therapy, discrete trial training, cognitive behavioral intervention, and social narratives.  Many insurance companies pay for evidenced based therapies with an official autism diagnosis. In addition, Florida offers the Family Empowerment Scholarship to provide you funding to help your child.

Autism Support for Parents

I co-authored the book “Parent’s Quick Start Guide to Autism” which provides a quick, but deep dive into what to immediately do when your child is diagnosed with autism.  When it comes to helping your young child, time is too precious to squander.

 Call (561) 625 4125 to discuss your child as we test for autism, dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, depression, and anxiety.

GRE LSAT MCAT Accommodations Testing

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GRE, LSAT, and MCAT Accommodations by Kathryn Picano-Morton.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Law School Admission Test (LSAT), and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) are standardized tests that are used to evaluate a student’s readiness for graduate school, law school, and medical school.  GRE, LSAT, and MCAT accommodations are available for these examinations which are among the most challenging and important tests a student will take in their lifetime. However, for a student with a disability, testing can be even more challenging. In these instances, requesting testing accommodations can help a student perform to the best of their ability by leveling the playing field.

What are common GRE, LSAT, and MCAT Accommodations?

Accommodations provide students with disabilities with the necessary support to complete the exam under conditions that allow them to fairly demonstrate their knowledge. Some examples of accommodations include extended testing time, additional breaks, a separate testing room, assistive technology, and large-print materials. Each institution and exam has its own policies for accommodations, and students must submit documentation of their disability to request them.

Why are GRE, LSAT, and MCAT Accommodations Important?

For students with disabilities, taking a standardized test can be an especially challenging task. Accommodations help ensure you are accurately evaluated based on your knowledge and abilities and not impeded by your disability, which would otherwise affect their performance under standard testing conditions.  It does not change what the test measures or its expectations.

How to Request GRE, LSAT, and MCAT Accommodations

The type of documentation required will depend on the specific testing organization or the institution’s policy for the requested accommodations.  The documentation should explain how a disability impacts a student’s ability to take the test under standard conditions and must demonstrate the need for accommodations. Most students with a disability have a history of accommodations provided on the SAT or ACT or from when in school, either from an IEP or a 504 Plan.

For example, if you have a learning disability and are requesting extended testing time, documentation that includes a diagnosis of the disability, a description of how the disability impacts your ability to take tests under a standard condition, and a recommendation for the specific accommodation of extended testing time may be required. The documentation will need to be provided well in advance of your desired testing date and can take up to six weeks for review.

Important Considerations

Requesting accommodations requires careful planning. You should plan to submit your application well in advance of your desired test date to allow sufficient time for processing.

It’s important to review the specific documentation requirements of the testing organization or institution you will be working with to ensure you provide the necessary information.

You should also work closely with your institution’s disability services office to ensure that their application contains all necessary documentation. You may also want to communicate with the organization or institution directly to ensure you understand the specific process and requirements for requesting accommodations.

Call to discuss your needs as we complete evaluations for dyslexia, learning disabilities, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and other processing disorders.  Call (561) 625 4125.

What Makes Kids Anxious?

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Jenny was an anxious adolescent who was an outside the box type of teen girl with uniqueness’s that elementary bullies targeted. This caused her anxiety. When the Corona Virus caused school shutdowns, she enjoyed only online friendships with others having her same interests.  This reduced her anxiety but caused social isolation.  When in person school resumed she experienced extreme social anxiety and school phobia so her mom allowed her to return to online only school.  They came to us for help.

What Makes Kids Anxious?

Jenny was like many children who struggle with anxiety from bullying and other reasons.  Genetics is one reason kids may experience anxiety as anxiety occurs within the family tree.  If a family member has anxiety, your child is at high risk for developing anxiety.

Anxiety from Current Events

Another reason for a child’s anxiety is exposure to world events.  Children who have a predisposition for anxiety worry when the family leaves the television news on all the time.  Despite what some parents think, children listen, watch, and understand more than some adults acknowledge.  Hearing about college murders, war, and violence can create inner angst that manifests as kids not wanting to sleep alone or a general worry that something bad will happen to them or their parent when they leave the home.

Peer Influences

Peer influences also create anxiety.  When you were a child there was not so much technology access but now young kids are exposed to some scary games like Five Nights at Freddy’s, Slender Man or Amnesia.  Kids playing these games often develop fears that events in the games might happen in real life.

How to Help Anxious Children

What can you do to help your child?  First, limit access and prevent your young child from playing scary games. Second, only watch the news in a room where your child does not enter such as the bedroom. Third, if you recognize your child has anxiety read the book “What to Do You’re your Child Worries Too Much” to your child or buy your teen the book, “My Anxious Mind.”  If you want to learn more, read my book for parents Stressed Out! Solutions to Help Your Child Manage and Overcome Stress. Finally, seek professional help if your child’s anxiety starts to interfere with school or life at home.

Call to discuss your child as we test children ages 5.5 through college for dyslexia, learning disabilities, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and other processing disorders.  Call (561) 625 4125.

Language Based Learning Disability

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Your child’s smart but has unexpected struggles.  There is a subset of children who have language based learning disabilities which interfere with learning.  Language infiltrates all areas of life from our thinking to our talking. When a child has difficulty processing language, they often struggle in reading, spelling, writing, or with math word problems since these all require language.

Language Based Learning Disability

A language-based learning disability refers to a spectrum of difficulties related to the understanding and use of spoken and written language.  A language-based learning disability is often the root cause of a child’s academic struggles since weak language skills impede comprehension, oral and written communication.  It can also interfere with your child’s attention, memory, social skills, perseverance, and self-regulation. A child can have a general language-based learning disability or a specific type such as dyslexia or dysgraphia.

Warning Signs

Warning signs of a language-based learning disability in young children include: a history of a speech and language impairment (remediated or ongoing), poor phonics, slow choppy reading, poor reading comprehension, difficulty following multi-step verbal directions, difficulty putting thoughts into writing, forgetting small sight words, knowing what to say but difficulty getting it out, difficulty getting to the point when speaking, and poor test performance despite having studied.

Some students with language-based learning disabilities are diagnosed young while other children perform well in early elementary school and are diagnosed later when the demands of language in middle or high school increase.  In addition, adolescents with a language-based learning disability have difficulty managing the heavy reading load from multiple classes.

Instruction

Most individuals with a language-based learning disability need instruction that is specialized, explicit, structured, and multisensory, as well as ongoing, guided practice aimed at helping their specific areas of weakness.  School is often a struggle for kids with a language-based learning disability but once you get them through school, these smart kids inherit a world of opportunities.

If you need help with your child call as we test children ages 5.5 through college for language based learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADHD, depression, anxiety, and other processing disorders.  Call (561) 625 4125

Depression or Unmotivated Teen?

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Are you concerned about depression in your teen? Unmotivated, lazy, not applying himself, and not working to his potential were words a mom used to describe her 16-year-old son as we discussed her concerns. This 11th grade adolescent seemed to be a lost soul since he did not care about school grades, was defiant at home, and was pushing others away.  Mom was concerned about him and as she put it, “He doesn’t even realize how much he’s messing up now and how much it will come back to haunt him later.”  We decide to test him to help give her direction and determine if his struggles were due to an underlying disorder or something else.  Testing revealed no learning disabilities but the teen was depressed which was causing him not to care about now or later.  Based on this information, mom obtained the right help for her son.

Depression in Teens is Real

Depression in teens is real and anxiety and depression often co-occur.  These are mental health issues that do not go away on their own and can appear as your teen being agitated, unmotivated, disinterested, flippant, argumentative, withdrawn, and experimenting to fill an unmet void.  If you suspect your teen has depression or anxiety, seek treatment.  We offer testing to rule out other problems and determine the true issue.  Alternatively, you can talk to your medical provider.

Support for Depressed Teens

Counselors offer support to teens willing to participate in the process.  A type of effective counseling is cognitive behavioral therapy.  This goal oriented counseling helps your teen reframe negative thinking and change thought processes which, in turn, change behavior.  Counselors are available at psychologytoday.com or sfacc.net.  If your teen is open to reading a self-help type of book check out the book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe The World or Anxiety Relief for Teens by Regine Galanti.

If you have an unmotivated teen, call our office as we test children ages 5.5 through college for dyslexia, ADHD/ADD, depression, anxiety, and other processing disorders.  Call (561) 625 4125.