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Your Visit

Our evaluation

On the day of evaluation, you and your child will meet with experts from all relevant specialties in one organized visit. After the visit, our specialists will work together to develop a diagnostic summary and intervention plan that is useful to parents, educators, and other professionals. It will include specific recommendations that teachers can use in the classroom.

The evaluation will assess your child’s mental health and academic functioning and provide basic neuropsychological testing, which measures thinking skills such as memory, problem solving, and attention. Because the evaluation looks at all areas of your child’s development, we will look at possible medical, neurological, or psychological reasons for your child's problems.

This information helps our specialists determine how problems in one area of development may affect other areas. The evaluation can also help parents and schools set priorities, since children often have needs in many areas. It may also help to identify areas that could cause problems for your child in the future and to develop strategies for preventing problems before they become serious concerns.

What happens during an evaluation?

The evaluation takes a little more than half a day. While your child visits each specialist on the Boston Children's team, you will meet with program staff to review your child's history and discuss current concerns.

During the evaluation, your child will meet with the following specialists:

  • The neurology specialist will evaluate your child’s strength, reflexes, coordination, and fine and gross motor skills. This information is used to determine if there are signs of a learning disorder or signs that suggest neurological (brain) impairment. Your child will also be evaluated for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
  • The neuropsychologist will give your child a few cognitive (thinking) tests to evaluate your child's overall learning profile.
  • The speech-language pathologist and written language specialist will work together to assess your child’s understanding and use of language, reading, and writing, as well as the relationship between spoken and written language.
  • The mathematics specialist will assess your child’s performance on arithmetic, geometric, and logical tasks to measure overall mathematics achievement and learning style.
  • The psychologist will interview both you and your child to determine if emotional issues may be affecting your child’s academic and social performance.

After your visit, your child’s team will meet to put together a complete picture of your child and develop an appropriate intervention plan. The lead clinician leads the team meeting and will write a report that summarizes the background, observations, and diagnostic formulation, as well as the team’s recommendations. This report is in addition to the individual reports created by each specialist, which provide specific test scores and more specific recommendations.

Learning Disabilities Program Cancellation Policy

Boston Children’s Hospital – Learning Disabilities Evaluation Program: At Boston Children’s Hospital, we are committed to providing high-quality evaluations while ensuring that all families have access to timely care. Because significant time and preparation go into each evaluation, we ask that you review our cancellation and rescheduling policy carefully.

Cancellation & Rescheduling Requirements: If you need to cancel or reschedule your child’s evaluation, please notify us at least 14 days (two weeks) in advance to avoid financial responsibility for preparation costs. Cancellations made within 14 days of the appointment will result in a charge for all clinical hours already dedicated to reviewing your child’s case and appointment preparation.

Cancellations made within 48 hours of the appointment may result in additional fees and limitations on rescheduling, unless if cancellation is due to unforeseen illness.

No-Show Policy: If you fail to attend the appointment without prior notice, it will be considered a no-show, and you will be responsible for fees associated with missed appointments.

Billing & Insurance Considerations: Fees for late cancellations, missed appointments, and case preparation may not be covered by insurance and will be the responsibility of the family. If you have any questions regarding insurance coverage or billing, please contact us at 617-355-2868 or at LDprogram@childrens.harvard.edu prior to scheduling. Thank you for working with us to support your child’s care.

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