Learning Disorder

Why See a Neuropsychologist for a Learning Disorder Evaluation?

“School was painful for me. I eventually gave up because I was never going to learn.”

“I’ve always felt like I was smart, but I just couldn’t do well in school. Once I got a job, I took off.”

“My child’s teacher says they are behind in reading, but I think they are really trying.”

“I keep paying for tutoring services for my child, but we are seeing minimal improvement.”

“I worry that my child’s self-esteem is getting crushed by school, and we end up arguing about grades all the time. I feel like I don’t get to be the parent my child needs.”

These statements are all too commonly made by bright, capable individuals who, for some reason, were never able to excel academically. At ANNW, we specialize in helping children, teens, and adults understand the root causes of their learning and attention challenges. Neuropsychologists are trained to understand how brain functioning influences learning, memory, attention, and behavior. Our evaluations go beyond identifying that someone struggles to determine why the difficulty is occurring and what to do about it. Often, assessment for a learning disorder focuses solely on whether there is a significant discrepancy between one’s aptitude (IQ) and academic performance. The problem with this simplistic approach is that it merely identifies that someone is struggling with academic tasks (and you already know the struggles exist).

The diagnostic criteria for a learning disorder state that to receive a diagnosis, a person’s challenges with reading, writing, or mathematics “…are not better accounted for by intellectual disabilities, uncorrected visual or auditory acuity, other mental or neurological disorders, psychosocial adversity, lack of proficiency in the language of academic instruction, or inadequate educational instruction.” Sometimes, reading or math difficulties result from a vision problem rather than a language problem. Your eyesight may be 20/20, but something else may be preventing your brain from receiving or processing the information. Continuing to focus on reading or practicing more math problems does not yield results, but focusing on the visual processing problem does! Similarly, writing requires more than just language, and often we can address writing difficulties by focusing on something unrelated to language. To understand whether all the factors that may play a role, a comprehensive brain-based approach is necessary.

Through a detailed assessment of cognitive, academic, emotional, and executive functioning skills, we can differentiate between:

  • Specific learning disorders in reading, written expression, or mathematics (e.g., dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia)
  • ADHD and other executive functioning challenges
  • Anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress-related concerns
  • Processing speed or working memory deficits
  • Intellectual or developmental differences

We want you to receive a clear explanation, not just test scores and a diagnosis. Understanding the different challenges present allows you to receive guidance tailored to your needs. These may include medical interventions to address sensory difficulties impacting learning, targeted school or workplace accommodations, executive functioning and study strategies, referrals for therapy, coaching, or medication evaluation (if needed), and long-term planning for academic or career success. Fortunately, more recent technological innovations help to minimize the impact of learning difficulties and allow you to achieve your goals.

A neuropsychological evaluation offers the level of documentation required by:

  • Schools and universities
  • Disability support services
  • Standardized testing boards (SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT)
  • Vocational rehabilitation programs

We clearly outline the data needed to support accommodations for anxiety, depression, learning disorders, ADHD, slowed processing of information, and difficulties created by language or visual processing differences. This ensures that the recommendations are not just helpful but are also legally enforceable. We also want to identify strengths to support optimal learning, career and educational planning, and improved mood and self-esteem.

If you or your child struggles with learning, attention, organization, or academic performance, a neuropsychological evaluation can provide the answers you need.

Contact us today to schedule an appointment or learn more about our services.

Comprehensive Learning Evaluation ($3,500) 

What’s included: 

  • A review of records 
  • A collaborative intake conversation to understand your life story, strengths, and concerns
  • Testing across all of the domains above, as well as IQ testing to compare your performance across domains
  • Collateral assessments completed by teachers, tutors, etc.
  • Personality and sensory-style assessments to explore how you interpret the world
  • Recommendations for accommodations at school, work, or home environments
  • A comprehensive, strengths-focused report tailored to your goals and needs

We find this approach to be especially helpful for those seeking clarity, validation, or support for navigating life with a unique cognitive style.