In addition to determining if a child has a problem with academic skills such as reading, writing/spelling, or math, a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment helps to understand why a child is having problems in school or at home.

​

This is done by assessing academic skills as well as all of the cognitive abilities needed to perform well in and outside of school, such as memory, attention, and language processing, reasoning and problem-solving. Additionally, emotional functioning is also considered, as anxiety, depression or disruptive behavior disorders can have an impact on academic functioning.

 

Understanding a child’s specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses helps to recognize how a child learns best, as well as to better provide targeted recommendations for school accommodations and remediation, as well as to suggest medical, pharmacological, and psychological treatment when appropriate.