What we do
The Mental Health (MH) Neuropsychology team works with children and youth who are followed at CHEO for a medical condition that is known / suspected to affect their brain functioning. The team provides neuropsychological consultations as well as comprehensive neuropsychological (cognitive, academic, and behavioural) assessments to help children and youth better understand their brain-based strengths and challenges. Following a consultation / assessment, our neuropsychologists are able to provide strategies and recommendations for helping children and youth succeed to their fullest potential at home, at school and in their community. Recommendations are also made to assist with medical management. The MH Neuropsychology team consists of pediatric neuropsychologists, psychometrists, neuropsychology residents and student and administrative support.
Who we see
The Mental health Neuropsychology team provides services to inpatient and outpatient children and youth, up to 18 years of age, who are followed at CHEO for a chronic or acute medical condition that is known or thought to impact their brain functioning. The MH Neuropsychology team typically sees children and youth with complex medical conditions such as epilepsy, cardiac issues and genetic disorders as well as those waiting for neurosurgery.
How to access
To be seen by the Mental Health Neuropsychology team, we require a referral from the CHEO physician following your child. The referral should be addressed to Centralized Mental Health Intake/1Call1Click.ca. The Mental Health Neuropsychology team does not accept referrals from community providers.
What to expect
You can expect to meet with our pediatric neuropsychologist for an initial intake interview. Our neuropsychologist will then decide whether to provide a consultation or a comprehensive assessment. Comprehensive assessments are several hours long, typically broken into two 3-hour sessions, and conducted in person. At the end of the assessment, a feedback session will be scheduled to share the results. A summary report will be provided to the referring provider and to parents.
Where we are located
We are located on the 6th floor, West wing of the main CHEO building, in clinic C14 :
Mental Health - Neuropsychology (C14), CHEO
401 Smyth Road
Ottawa, ON. K1H 8L1
Frequently asked questions
What is a neuropsychologist?
Clinical neuropsychology is a specialty field within psychology. Clinical neuropsychologists are dedicated to understanding the relationship between brain and behaviour through the assessment of cognitive and behavioural functioning. They have expertise related to brain structures, brain functions, and the impact of injury and illness on the brain. A neuropsychologist is usually consulted when there are developmental delays or changes in someone’s thinking skills (e.g., concentration, organization, reasoning, memory, language, perception, coordination). These issues may be due to medical, neurological, psychological, or genetic causes.
What is the difference between a neuropsychological assessment and a psychoeducational assessment?
Psychoeducational assessments are usually performed by clinical / school psychologists. These assessments typically include formal testing of a child’s intelligence (IQ) and academic achievement. Psychoeducational assessments seek to understand a child’s learning style and guide the development of classroom accommodations and supports from an educational perspective. They focus more on identifying the child’s difficulties in the classroom (i.e., what is happening) rather than examining the underlying brain origins and neurocognitive processes that are causing the child’s difficulties in the classroom (i.e., why it is happening).
Neuropsychological assessments are performed by neuropsychologists. These assessments examine how a child’s brain functions and how that functioning impacts the child’s behavior and learning. Neuropsychological assessments are typically much broader in scope, and thus usually take longer to administer. In addition to assessments of intelligence (IQ) and academic achievement, neuropsychological assessments include formal testing of specific thinking skills (executive functioning, visual-perceptual abilities, information processing, attention, and concentration, learning and memory, sensory perception, language, adaptive skills, and fine motor skills). A neuropsychological assessment can provide deeper insight into why students are having certain difficulties, what their learning strengths and challenges are, and what interventions can be used to successfully address their difficulties both in and outside of school. Neuropsychological assessments gather all of the data needed to provide diagnoses and recommend treatment for disabilities involving learning, language, attention, and executive functioning.
What happens during a neuropsychology assessment?
The assessment consists of a series of tests that resemble games and schoolwork. Some children enjoy the assessment while others might find it boring or difficult. Children are simply encouraged to do their best. There are no invasive tests.
Can a parent be present in the testing room?
Parents are not typically in the testing room. This helps ensure that every child is tested in the same way. Children are tested one-on-one in a room with the psychometrist or neuropsychologist. In some circumstances (e.g., severe anxiety), parents may come into the room initially to help their child adjust to the new surroundings and feel more comfortable. Please speak to your neuropsychologist if you have any further concerns or questions regarding this.
Does the parent have to stay for the duration of the assessment?
For children under 14, parents must remain in the waiting room throughout the assessment. Parents can bring a book or laptop while they wait. Their child will join them in the waiting room during breaks.
For youth aged 14 and up (and no major developmental delays), parents can drop them off and pick them up at the end of their appointment.
Will the report be shared with my child’s doctor?
A copy of the report will be added to your child’s medical chart and available to the referring CHEO physician. Another copy will be shared with you. You can then choose to provide a copy of the report to your child’ school. We highly encourage youth and parents to read the whole report before sharing it with their school.
