PlusFour Solutions: Guidance through Assessment

Neuropsychological testing measures and identifies cognitive functioning, examining both strengths and weaknesses in students. This type of testing can provide information about many areas of cognitive and developmental functioning including:

• Receptive and expressive language
• Short-term, long-term and working memory
• Attention, concentration, focus, and ability to organize
• Verbal and nonverbal reasoning
• Visual-spatial organization and visual-motor coordination
• Temporal-sequential organization
• Ability to learn new skills and solve problems
• Planning, analyzing and implementing abilities

Dr. Newton has expertise as a developmental specialist. He has evaluated hundreds of children with developmental delays and special needs. Dr. Newton is recognized as an expert in diagnosing children with autism and autism-spectrum disorders, including Asperger’s Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorders.

Some believe that images of the brain (MRIs and Pet Scans) offer adequate and appropriate data for diagnosis and treatment. While these images may have their place, they do not provide information about functioning (what a student can and cannot do), given his or her age and ability, notes Dr. Steve Newton, director of PlusFour Solutions. This is the realm of neuropsychological testing and defines the difference between a neurologist and a neuropsychologist. Some individuals need to be seen by a neurologist and also have testing done by a neuropsychologist.