Assessments for Children Under the Age of 4

What to expect:

• You will be with your child for the entire duration of the appointment.
• Two adults may be present to observe the assessment, one of which is required to be the child’s legal guardian.
• NO OTHER CHILDREN MAY BE PRESENT AT THE APPOINTMENT. Please make arrangements to bring only the child that has a scheduled appointment.
• We block off two hours for the appointment, however most sessions run an average of 90+ minutes from the time you arrive.
• We will be completing standardized testing that is play-based and developmentally appropriate for your child. The children typically enjoy their time in the assessment room. Your clinician will provide any additional instructions for testing at the time of your appointment.
• Please bring a drink and simple snack for your child. Please avoid caffeine, sugar and processed carbohydrates. No adult food or drink other than water is allowed in the assessment rooms. Leave all other drinks at home or in the car.
• Closed-circuit cameras are in every assessment room so that your supervising psychologist can observe the assessment.
• You will be given all results and any accompanying diagnoses verbally, following completion of testing. A written report will be provided THREE WEEKS from the date of the appointment. We write these reports in the order that children were seen so please refrain from calling the office to request your report earlier. We take time to carefully prepare detailed reports so that your child is able to access any necessary support services. You will be provided with written resources that are appropriate for your child on the day of their appointment.
• You do not need to arrive early. Please plan to arrive right at your scheduled appointment time and we will be ready for you when you arrive.
• You will receive a confirmation call from a clinician prior to your child’s appointment. Please make sure that your voicemail on your phone has space for messages if you have given permission for voicemails.

IMPORTANT. YOUR APPOINTMENT MAY BE CANCELLED IF:

1. You or your child are exhibiting any signs of cold or flu such as coughing, runny nose, fever, or other symptoms of illness. Please do not bring anyone into the office that is not 100% healthy. NO EXCEPTIONS. If your child has allergies that cause any of these symptoms, please let us know when you arrive. Children may not be on any cold or cough medication at the time of their assessment. We reserve the right to reschedule appointments for any child that we feel may not be healthy and ready for testing when they arrive. This is in the best interest of both your child and our clinicians so that we gain valid testing results while protecting the health of our staff and their ability to be available for other families.
2. If you bring siblings or other children into the office that do not have an appointment you may be asked to reschedule. Other children within the testing room interrupts the session and can throw off the validity of our standardized results. It is not allowed under any circumstances. Please arrange for care for any other children so that they may remain at home.
3. If you have not submitted your current insurance information prior to the appointment. Many insurance carriers require a minimum of 10 days to provide authorization for the appointment.

Assessments for children under the age of 4- & 5-year-olds

What to expect:

• You will receive a confirmation call from a clinician prior to your child’s appointment. Please make sure that your voicemail on your phone has space for messages if you have given permission for voicemails.
• Please provide any pertinent documentation for child no more that five full days prior to your appointment. This includes medical information, any previous evaluation, and documentation from your child’s school including an IEP or MET report.
• Plan to be in the evaluation room for 2.5-3 hours with your child.
• You do not need to arrive early for your appointment. Please plan to arrive right at your scheduled appointment time and we will be ready for you when you arrive.
• Both parents are welcome to attend the evaluation. Adults are required to wear masks during the evaluation. We do not have children wear masks for the evaluation.
• Please do not bring any additional children or family members to the evaluation.
• Closed-circuit cameras are in every assessment room so that your supervising psychologist can observe the assessment.
• Parents will remain with their child for the duration of the evaluation. Once you enter the evaluation room and review intake information with the evaluator. We will review your main concerns about your child’s development and well as your child’s day to day functioning. Topics of discussion will include your child’s daily schedule, sleep patterns, feeding, toileting, social interactions, and any other relevant areas of development.
• During the evaluation parents will be given rating and behavior scales to fill out. Your evaluator will review the specific instructions. These protocols are administered to help give an introspective look at how your child is doing at home and in their day-to-day life.
• Once the evaluation is completed you and your child will have a 15–20-minute break. Children are often tired and hungry when they get done so it is a good idea to bring some water and an easy to eat snack. This is a good time to relax with your child.
• The evaluator and Dr. McLean will review the results of your Child’s evaluation and provide a folder with written recommendations that are specific to your child’s needs. At this time, you can ask any questions about the results of your child’s evaluation. You can also call our office anytime if you have further questions.
• A written report that provides a full summary of the evaluation will be sent to you through our HIPPA compliant portal within 3 weeks of your appointment. This report is provided in virtual format so it can be easily shared with your child’s care team.

Assessments for Children Six and Older

What to Expect:

• Plan to be at the appointment for the entire 3 hours
• Parents are provided a private wait room while the child is being assessed
  • While in the wait room, please refrain from private telephone calls as there are offices and assessment rooms on both sides
  • Please bring a drink and simple snack for your child. No adult food or drink other than water is allowed in the assessment rooms. Avoid sugar, caffeine, and highly processed foods.
• Two adults may be present during the appointment, one of which is required to be the child’s legal guardian. NO OTHER CHILDREN MAY BE PRESENT AT THE APPOINTMENT. Please make arrangements to bring only the child that has a scheduled appointment.
• We will be completing standardized testing with your child, which addresses the referral question during the appointment. Your clinician may request rating scales to be completed prior to the appointment. These will be discussed during your confirmation call.
• You will receive a confirmation call from a clinician prior to your child’s appointment. Please make sure that your voicemail on your phone has space for messages if you have given permission for voicemails.
• Upon arrival at the appointment, a private parent intake is completed. Clinical staff prefer the parent complete the intake interview without the child present. Children must be supervised at at all times. Please bring another adult to monitor the child if you want to speak to your evaluator privately.
• Closed-circuit cameras are in every assessment room so that your supervising psychologist can observe the assessment.
• You will be given all results and any accompanying diagnoses verbally, following completion of testing. A written report will be provided three weeks from the date of the appointment. We write these reports in the order that children were seen so please refrain from calling the office to request your report earlier. We take time to carefully prepare detailed reports so that your child is able to access any necessary support services.
• You do not need to arrive early. Please plan to arrive right at your scheduled appointment time and we will be ready for you when you arrive.

IMPORTANT. YOUR APPOINTMENT MAY BE CANCELLED IF:

1. You or your child are exhibiting any signs of cold or flu such as coughing, runny nose, fever, or other symptoms of illness. Please do not bring anyone into the office that is not 100% healthy. NO EXCEPTIONS. If your child has allergies that cause any of these symptoms, please let us know when you arrive. Children may not be on any cold or cough medication at the time of their assessment or 48 hours prior. We reserve the right to reschedule appointments for any child that we feel may not be healthy and ready for testing when they arrive. This is in the best interest of both your child and our clinicians so that we gain valid testing results while protecting the health of our staff and their ability to be available for other families.
2. If you bring siblings or other children into the office that do not have an appointment you will be asked to reschedule. Other children within the testing room interrupts the session and can throw off the validity of our standardized results. It is not allowed under any circumstances. Please arrange for care for any other children so that they may remain at home.

Please call if you have any questions, 480-659-5563.