Neuropsychological Assessment and the Neurologically Impaired Child

The purpose of this chapter is to introduce neuropsychology and neuropsychological assessment of children, with a focus on neurologically impaired children. Thus, we begin with a brief historical overview of the concept of neurological impairment and neuropsychological assessment in children, and delineate the role of a neuropsychologist in diagnosis and assessment. Next, we offer a set of conceptual principles for neuropsychological assessment, review its related methods and procedures, and describe the differences in purpose and scope of evaluations conducted by school psychologists, clinical child psychologists, and neuropsychologists. After that, we review the neuropsychological outcomes associated with several of the more common childhood neurological disorders. Finally, we examine a neuropsychological management approach and related intervention techniques used to help neurologically impaired children adapt to and compensate for their difficulties.