The question that often plagues a concerned parent is “Should I have my child evaluated by the school system or should I have a private evaluation done by a neuropsychologist”? Below are several factors to consider when making this important decision.

Many school districts need a referral from a teacher before they will evaluate. This means convincing the teacher that the child may have an issue. Too many times I have heard teachers diagnose a child by saying that they just are not trying hard, refuse to work up to their potential, or even that they do or do not have ADHD. I have said many times that I have never seen a “lazy” child in my practice. No one wants to receive bad grades, punishments, or reprimands. If the child is repeatedly having problems in school in spite of being reprimanded for grades, behavior, or talking, then there may be a problem. Many times you as the parent “just know” that something is not right with your child’s performance and you can’t get the teacher to agree.

Call (407) 338-3131 

I have outlined above why it can be difficult to get your child past the referral process to be tested by the school system. Depending on the school district, be prepared for a lengthy wait. I have seen the wait be a year to actually be tested because of budget cuts and limited staffing.

The person testing your child is not a neuropsychologist and will not be as academically qualified. I’m sure there can be an exception to this statement but I have yet to see this. A majority of the time the person testing will have a Masters level degree and the courses offered at this level are very limited in the administration of tests and interpretation of the results.

The testing battery is extremely limited, and usually consists of an intelligence (IQ) test and an achievement test. This will diagnose a Reading Disorder or Mathematics Disorder. If the child does not meet the criteria for “specific learning disability” in reading or math, the parents are often told that a problem was not found, and the testing ends there. Unfortunately, many, many children who have attention deficits (ADHD), memory problems, fine motor problems that result in poor handwriting when they must hurry with their writing, problems with expressing themselves or understanding what is said, learning new concepts, and other possible issues or problems, go undetected, and the child is blamed.

Why should I have my child tested by Dr Wetherby?

Besides having a Ph.D. I also have a separate master’s degree in Rehabilitation, so I am always wanting the report to be functional in nature. I do not want the doctor, parent, and teacher to receive a report that they cannot use. I provide detailed feedback of testing results usually at no charge to aid in the parent or patient understanding the results of the tests administered, what they mean when put together, diagnoses, and observations/suggestions. I even give a brief statistics lesson at the beginning of the feedback that will help you understand more about the results!

I include many observations/suggestions at the end of the report to make the report even more functional and understandable. These suggestions can then be used as a part of the 504 or IEP plan or for home/work and improved classroom functioning. They are developed directly from each person’s testing results. There is no additional charge for these observations/suggestions at the end of the report – and sometimes there are three pages of them!

Help your child get the education they deserve.

Call (407) 338-3131 

To get a child services in the school, I start with evaluating the child. While an educational evaluation usually looks only at intelligence and achievement, a neuropsychological evaluation tests other areas of thinking. Areas tested on a neuropsychological evaluation can include attention/concentration, visual and verbal memory, and more, which are often a part of the whole learning process.

As a result of neuropsychological evaluation, I can provide a definitive diagnosis, (ADHD, learning disability, etc.), specify deficit areas (attention/concentration, memory, specific learning area, etc.), and make appropriate recommendations. With my report, the parent can then pursue accommodations that the child needs on a 504 Plan or IEP.

ADHD Treatment Dr. Mary Wetherby

I was interviewed by the Orlando Sentinel on ADHD and Treatment Options. Check out the article here:

Here is the article in full

There are always times in people’s lives, everyone has experienced it, where you’re going through a really hard time – and you just need to find some strength. It’s what my daddy used to call “intestinal fortitude.” It’ll get you through a lot. You’ve got to find an area that in some way helps you feel strong and helps to inspire you. When my mother was in her 20s, she lived in Europe, away from her family, and was horribly homesick. She always said that she would look up into the mountains, and think about the Bible verse that had to do with looking to the mountains and finding strength from the Lord. No matter where you find your strength – it doesn’t matter if it is from religion – it doesn’t matter whether it’s from coming up and just hugging a Redwood; wherever you find your strength, you’ve got to get that intestinal fortitude going and move on! And remember – It’s all good, and if it’s not, we’re gonna make it that way! Hang in there☺

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In the song and video Downtown, Macklemore describes a woman who isn’t afraid of being herself. Her hair is in the style Mariah Carey wore in 1988 and she is wearing “Mom jeans.” The gist of this part of the song and video is that she is still cool. It takes guts to be who you are! What it comes right down to is it’s yourself that you have to please. Don’t be afraid to step at least a little outside of your box! Letting other people box you in pretty much results in feeling claustrophobic. Remember, you’ll never be anyone else as successfully as you can be yourself!

Do at least one little thing just for you. (You know what you like/want/need. Others don’t read your mind!)

Light a candle for someone you miss. (Then smile and move on with your dayJ)

All too often, Christmas is a race to the finish. Enjoy all of the tape in the hair imperfect moments!
Make a list of everyone who loves you and who you love.

Laugh.

Hug.

Kiss.

P:  Process Information – What is actually happening right now?

O:  Weigh the Options – What are the different choices I have?

J:  Make a Judgment – Which is the best choice to pick?

E:  Execute a decision – I’m going to do this choice.

The consequences of some impulsive decisions in life are lasting. Not all impulsive decisions are as extreme as jumping off of a balcony at spring break. However, making even small impulsive decisions can still wreak havoc with your daily life. If you have ADHD, you probably have more problems with impulsivity.  Having a tendency to make impulsive decisions can happen to you if you are an adult, or a high school or college student on spring break.

Think about impulsive decisions while you are on spring break. Slow down and go through your POJE the next time a decision presents itself!