Pediatric Psychology

ChildServe’s Pediatric Psychology program serves children and young adults (2 – 21 years old), whose primary caregiver, school staff, medical professional, or mental health professional wants clarity on the child’s diagnosis or level of functioning.

ChildServe’s psychology team includes:

• Psychologist
• Psychology Associates
• Psychometricians

Pediatric psychological evaluations are currently offered Monday – Friday at ChildServe in Johnston.

It is important to talk to your child before any procedure to remove fears about what to expect. Make sure your child knows the evaluation will not include a physical exam (no needles, medicines, etc.). For younger children, you may wish to talk about how the evaluation may include puzzles and games. Older children may find it helpful to know there will be games and school-like work. However, unlike at school, there are no right or wrong answers.

On the day of the evaluation, please give your child all scheduled medications that he or she normally receives. Make sure your child receives enough sleep for several nights before the evaluation and has a good meal prior to coming in for their appointment. 

Our psychologists use many standardized testing tools to evaluate the level of functioning. Psychologic evaluations include pencil and paper tasks, puzzles, drawing, and games. The evaluation covers skill areas like general intellectual level, language, memory and learning, problem-solving, planning and organization, fine motor skills, visual-spatial skills, and academic skills (reading, math, spelling and writing). The evaluation also includes an examination of behavior, emotions and social functioning.

You and your child will start the psychological testing process by coming in for an assessment appointment. It is important to get to know you before beginning testing. From this assessment, the psychologist will determine which type of standardized testing will be most appropriate for your child. If recommended for testing, it’s important to know testing can take several hours and may involve multiple meetings with our psychologists.

During your final appointment, our psychologists will provide a written report of findings and recommendations. You will have the opportunity to ask any clarifying questions and ensure that you understand the results.