Neuropsychological Evaluations

Not all providers who call themselves neuropsychologists have the same training, and when it comes to evaluating children and adolescents, that distinction matters enormously.

Neuropsychologists are trained in one of three ways: as pediatric specialists with specific training in evaluating individuals from early childhood through adolescence, as adult specialists whose clinical expertise is focused on adult populations, or as lifespan neuropsychologists meaning they are trained to understand the entire range of development. While an adult trained neuropsychologist may offer services to younger patients, they have not completed the specialized developmental training required to fully understand a still-developing brain like a lifespan or pediatric neuropsychologist.

For children and adolescents, working with a lifespan trained or pediatric neuropsychologist ensures that your child's evaluation is interpreted through a developmental lens. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral patterns that are typical at one stage of development may look very different at another. A neuropsychologist without pediatric or lifespan training may not have the clinical background to make that distinction accurately.

Dr. Hahn is a lifespan trained, dual board certified neuropsychologist with specialized expertise in evaluating children, adolescents, and young adults across the full developmental spectrum. She completed her doctoral clinical training at the University of Florida's Shands Hospital in their pediatric neuropsychology program and her post-doctoral training at Yale University's Department of Neurosurgery's pediatric department. When seeking a neuropsychological evaluation for your child or teenager in New Jersey, it is worth asking about your provider's specific training background and board certification credentials, specifically seeking a provider with the distinction of the pediatric subspeciality board certification.