Pediatric neuropsychology
Encyclopedia
Pediatric neuropsychology is a specialty within the field of psychology
and related health care sciences. The emphasis in pediatric neuropsychology
is the study and understanding of brain-behavior relationships, specifically in children with known or suspected brain injury
, neurodevelopmental disorders, learning disorders, or other congenital disorder
s. Pediatric neuropsychologists are intricately involved in the assessment and treatment of patients, program development, consultation with other professionals, and in defining the general standards for appropriate clinical practice. Many pediatric neuropsychologists are involved in teaching, research, supervision, and training of undergraduate and graduate students in the field.
Undergraduate and graduate psychology programs generally do not offer a "track" in pediatric neuropsychology, per se. Specific supervised training in pediatric neuropsychology typically begins at the internship or postdoctoral level, as the graduate student is completing or has just completed a PhD or PsyD in clinical child psychology, pediatric psychology, clinical neuropsychology, or school psychology.
Most pediatric neuropsychologists have several years of post-doctoral training regarding the developmental or acquired neuropathology observed in children. Pediatric neuropsychologists work in any setting where children with CNS
dysfunction are treated. This includes: neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry practices as well as in hospital and outpatient settings. In addition to assessing and treating children with medical disorders, pediatric neuropsychologists work with children who have Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD), learning disabilities, intellectual and developmental disorders (mental retardation
), autism
, or Asperger's syndrome. Some may work in other settings, such as schools, and provide more traditional mental health services as well.
As is consistent with the current American Psychological Association's definition, "proficiencies can only be acquired through appropriate education and training focused quite specifically and intensively on defined content". Recommended core training requirements for pediatric neuropsychology includes:
As an emerging specialty of psychological practice, many practitioners in this area may vary in terms of their training. However, parents, schools, physicians and other consumers of pediatric neuropsychological services should carefully consider seeking a clinician with an organized training history such as that suggested above.
These three boards are all rigorous in their methods of assessing candidates for certification.
Finally, pediatric neuropsychology may be defined and practiced differently in different countries and the definition above may vary regarding the practice of pediatric neuropsychology outside of the United States.
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and related health care sciences. The emphasis in pediatric neuropsychology
Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology studies the structure and function of the brain related to specific psychological processes and behaviors. The term neuropsychology has been applied to lesion studies in humans and animals. It has also been applied to efforts to record electrical activity from individual cells in...
is the study and understanding of brain-behavior relationships, specifically in children with known or suspected brain injury
Brain injury
A brain injury is any injury occurring in the brain of a living organism. Brain injuries can be classified along several dimensions. Primary and secondary brain injury are ways to classify the injury processes that occur in brain injury, while focal and diffuse brain injury are ways to classify...
, neurodevelopmental disorders, learning disorders, or other congenital disorder
Congenital disorder
A congenital disorder, or congenital disease, is a condition existing at birth and often before birth, or that develops during the first month of life , regardless of causation...
s. Pediatric neuropsychologists are intricately involved in the assessment and treatment of patients, program development, consultation with other professionals, and in defining the general standards for appropriate clinical practice. Many pediatric neuropsychologists are involved in teaching, research, supervision, and training of undergraduate and graduate students in the field.
Undergraduate and graduate psychology programs generally do not offer a "track" in pediatric neuropsychology, per se. Specific supervised training in pediatric neuropsychology typically begins at the internship or postdoctoral level, as the graduate student is completing or has just completed a PhD or PsyD in clinical child psychology, pediatric psychology, clinical neuropsychology, or school psychology.
Definition
A pediatric neuropsychologist is a doctoral-level, licensed health service provider of neuropsychological diagnostic and intervention services who applies principles of assessment and intervention based upon the scientific study of developmental theory and behavior as it relates to normal and abnormal functioning of the developing central nervous system. Pediatric neuropsychologists demonstrate competence in the application of these principles to settings where children live, work, learn and play.Most pediatric neuropsychologists have several years of post-doctoral training regarding the developmental or acquired neuropathology observed in children. Pediatric neuropsychologists work in any setting where children with CNS
Central nervous system
The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...
dysfunction are treated. This includes: neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry practices as well as in hospital and outpatient settings. In addition to assessing and treating children with medical disorders, pediatric neuropsychologists work with children who have Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a developmental disorder. It is primarily characterized by "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone" and symptoms starting before seven years of age.ADHD is the most commonly studied and...
(ADHD), learning disabilities, intellectual and developmental disorders (mental retardation
Mental retardation
Mental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
), autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
, or Asperger's syndrome. Some may work in other settings, such as schools, and provide more traditional mental health services as well.
As is consistent with the current American Psychological Association's definition, "proficiencies can only be acquired through appropriate education and training focused quite specifically and intensively on defined content". Recommended core training requirements for pediatric neuropsychology includes:
- Successful completion of systematic pre- and post-doctoral didactic and experiential training in developmental theory, neuropsychology and related neurosciences at a regionally accredited university;
- Two or more years of appropriate supervised post-doctoral training, applying pediatric neuropsychological services in a clinical setting;
- Demonstration of competency through training, experience and examination in the following core areas:
- Pediatric neurosciences
- Normal and abnormal psychological and neurological development
- Neuropsychological and neurological diagnostics
- Ethics and legal issues
- The application of research design and statistics to clinical practice
- Clinical and rehabilitative intervention techniques
- Consultation and supervisory practices
- Possession of current licensure and/or certification to provide psychological services to the public by the laws of the state or province in which he or she practices.
As an emerging specialty of psychological practice, many practitioners in this area may vary in terms of their training. However, parents, schools, physicians and other consumers of pediatric neuropsychological services should carefully consider seeking a clinician with an organized training history such as that suggested above.
Board certification
There are several boards that examine and certify neuropsychologists engaged in pediatric practice. Consumers seeking services from a board certified pediatric neuropsychologist are encouraged to review qualification and examination procedures to separate those that are legitimate examination-based boards from "vanity" boards, or boards that offer certification without evaluating competency in pediatric neuropsychological skills directly.- The American Board of Pediatric Neuropsychology (ABPdN), a subsidiary of the American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology, is the only exclusively pediatric board and does not certify the practice of adult or geriatric neuropsychology.
- The American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN) is a member of the American Board of Professional PsychologyAmerican Board of Professional PsychologyThe American Board of Professional Psychology was formed in 1947 and was originally known as the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology...
(ABPP), certifies in general clinical neuropsychology, and is not affiliated with ABN or ABPdN. - The American Board of Professional Neuropsychology (ABN) certifies professionals in general neuropsychology and is not affiliated with ABPP or ABPdN.
These three boards are all rigorous in their methods of assessing candidates for certification.
Non-board certified neuropsychologists
Neuropsychology is over 100 years old, but as a clinical practice specialty, it is quite young and still largely unregulated. Very few states (e.g. Louisiana) license the title "neuropsychologist", so elsewhere anyone can use this professional title. For this reason, it is important for consumers to carefully check the credentials of a "neuropsychologist" when seeking clinical services. Unlike medical specialists, neuropsychologists are not yet required by most hospitals and clinics to seek board-certification. Moreover, the vast majority of fully qualified neuropsychologists have not undergone any board certification process. While examination via peer review is currently the accepted method of verifying the range of expected competencies, the absence of board certification cannot and should not be interpreted as a lack of competence in the profession. This is true for skills in general neuropsychology and its respective related disciplines of pediatric neuropsychology, geriatric neuropsychology, etc.Finally, pediatric neuropsychology may be defined and practiced differently in different countries and the definition above may vary regarding the practice of pediatric neuropsychology outside of the United States.
External links
- Division 40 (Clinical Neuropsychology) of the American Psychological Association distributes a brochure for parents that describes the pediatric neuropsychological evaluation, downloadable from http://www.div40.org/pdf/PedNeuropscyhBroch3.pdf
- National Academy of Neuropsychology Position Paper on "The Importance of Neuropsychological Assessment for the Evaluation of Childhood Learning Disorders" - http://nanonline.org/NAN/ResearchPublications/PositionPapers/ImportanceOfNeuropsychologicalAssessment.aspx
- Definitions of a neuropsychologist, and description of training guidelines, from APA Division 40 (Neuropsychology) are available at (Division 40 of the APA)
- Definitions of a neuropsychologist from the National Academy of Neuropsychology (National Academy Definition)
- The Houston Conference Guidelines for training in neuropsychology, from the National Academy of Neuropsychology website(NAN Link to Houston Conference Guidelines)