Diverse Thinking Different Learning

When is it important to consider an evaluation for your child? Well, the earlier the better. But then the question is, what are the differences between evaluations and which is best for your child? My guest on today’s episode helps break it down and dives deep into the differences between a neuropsychological evaluation and a psychoeducational evaluation. Not only that, but we also discuss the challenges of evaluating non-English speakers and identifying neurodevelopmental disorders in children whose native language is not English. Welcome to Diverse Thinking · Different Learning! I am Dr. Karen Wilson and I am thrilled to have Dr. Vindia Fernandez with me today. Dr. Fernandez is a pediatric neuropsychologist who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and young adults with neurodevelopmental issues including autism, epilepsy, ADHD, and learning disabilities as well as schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. As a private practice neuropsychologist in Southern California, she also sees the impact and importance of culturally and linguistically appropriate evaluations. Today she shares with us her valuable expertise. Show Notes: [0:48] - Karen introduces Dr. Fernandez and gives her background. Dr. Fernandez is the founder of the Center for Pediatric Neuropsychology to address the growing need for culturally and linguistically appropriate evaluations for Latino/a children. [2:16] - Dr. Fernandez defines a psychoeducational evaluation, as that is the most commonly used assessment offered to parents of school-aged children struggling in an educational setting. It entails different tests that serve the purpose of identifying areas of academic need. [3:40] - A neuropsychological evaluation is not a specific type of evaluation but more an assessment performed by a neuropsychologist. This type of psychologist has extensive training in brain-behavior relationships and neuroanatomy.   [5:19] - A neuropsychological exam not only helps identify the learning difficulties a child may have, but also gets deeper into the medical side of things to find possible underlying medical issues. [7:01] - The purpose of an evaluation in schools is different than the evaluations done when a parent goes to see a neuropsychologist like Dr. Wilson or Dr. Fernandez.  [7:26] - Dr. Fernandez explains how school evaluations work and the purpose they serve in informing services and accommodations in a school setting. There are specific legal mandates on how these evaluations are conducted. [8:50] - Psychologists in a private practice have a lot more flexibility in diagnosing as opposed to the more narrow guidelines of a school evaluation conducted by a school psychologist. [9:36] - An evaluation is only as important or as valid as the recommendations you impart to the family. A diagnosis is important but it is what you do with that information that is the most valuable. [11:04] - Dr. Fernandez wrote an article about dyslexia and today she discusses some of the reasons why students could have trouble reading. [13:54] - The intervention and accommodations that are recommended as a result of the evaluation will certainly differ depending on what those results are. [15:31] - Oftentimes there is more than one issue that the student is struggling with. All issues need to have an intervention simultaneously. Dr. Fernandez explains why that is important. [17:32] - Dr. Fernandez explains that there was a time when Spanish speaking children were evaluated using English language measures to determine whether or not they had intellectual disabilities. They were placed in special education programs en masse. [18:24] - For a period of time, minority or underrepresented populations were overrepresented in special education. [18:44] - Several laws have since been passed as a result of some landmark cases in education. Now the instruments have to be validated for the population that it is being used for. [19:29] - Dr. Fernandez says that when she evaluates a child who doesn’t speak English or didn’t speak English as their first language, her first thought is about the instruments and whether or not they are appropriate for the child. [20:00] - Something we need to always consider is that some immigrant parents may not have a lot of experience with formal education and may feel uncomfortable in a professional setting. [21:49] - Developing rapport with parents is important. [22:37] - The parent interviews and questionnaires that are a part of the evaluation process will vary in detail. Some parents share a lot of information and others do not. Developing trust and explaining why these questions are important is helpful. [24:39] - Being able to determine what is going on with a child, you have to look at the evaluation and the struggles the child has with a cultural lens. [25:52] - Dr. Fernandez explains a few perpetuating myths, one being that bilingual children automatically have a limited vocabulary when they learn two languages simultaneously. [27:42] - We should not overpathologize differences in learning especially when we are talking about children who are growing up differently. But working with specific populations, it is important to be aware of various cultures and backgrounds. [29:37] - The types of children Dr. Fernandez usually sees are the ones who are struggling in school in comparison to their peers.  [31:25] - When there’s a level of distress associated with the learning difficulty that can’t be explained by normal development, the behaviors are red flags for a problem that needs to be solved. [33:21] - Don’t ignore your gut feeling. If you feel that your child is struggling more than their peers, seek an evaluation to determine the root cause of the struggle.   About Our Guest: Dr. Fernandez obtained her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Houston where she studied pediatric neuropsychology and completed research on the neuroanatomical markers of dyslexia. She completed her APA-accredited internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the UCLA Semel Institute. Her specialty training includes working with children, adolescents, and young adults with neurodevelopmental issues including autism, epilepsy, ADHD, and learning disabilities as well as schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Dr. Fernandez has also worked closely with the UCLA PEERS Program and developed a passion for teaching social skills to neurodiverse youth. In 2017, Dr. Fernandez founded the Center for Pediatric Neuropsychology in part to address the growing need for culturally and linguistically appropriate evaluations for Latino/a children. She is an attending clinician and volunteer clinical faculty member in the UCLA Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence and collaborates with the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health on program development and training. Connect with Dr. Vindia Fernandez: PediatricNeuropsych.com ChildNEXUS Provider Profile - Vindia G. Fernandez, Ph.D. Links and Resources: ChildNEXUS Home Page Dyslexia Blog Article ChildNEXUS Live Back to School Town Hall

I feel very strongly that if we put in place certain practices, more children with undetected learning disabilities would be identified early and receive appropriate treatment. There’s a lot of education that needs to be done about the different learning challenges that students face. And that’s why I’ve started this podcast. Welcome to Diverse Thinking Different Learning. I’m Dr. Karen Wilson and we are moving right along with episode 2 today. In episode 1, we discussed the importance of uncovering why a child is struggling. The first step in doing just that is the assessment. Why does a child need an assessment? What does an assessment involve? What does an evaluation tell parents and educators? Let’s dive into what an assessment looks like and why it is more than just testing. Show Notes: [1:01] - In episode 1, Dr. Wilson talked about what it looks like when kids struggle. This episode is all about the assessment process. [1:29] - The reasons you seek an assessment will vary per child, but you see their difficulties are hindering their success. This will find what is causing the challenge to help determine what needs to be done. [2:38] - It is never too late to evaluate a child when you see that they are struggling and need some support. An assessment helps you get to the root of the difficulties. [3:35] - Some struggles can be overcome by implementing appropriate intervention. [4:12] - The assessment is so much more than testing. Testing is a part of the process, but the assessment actually begins with a parent interview. Family history and parent observations give a lot of insight and can help determine various risk factors. [6:13] - A child’s early developmental milestones will also be discussed to find if the challenges the child is having now may have been observed early on as well. [7:23] - Dr. Wilson also explains that the assessment involves gathering information from other sources, especially from teachers. [8:38] - Observations will take place within the classroom and during a testing session, but Dr. Wilson explains that behavioral observations will begin when they first enter the office. [10:04] - An assessment should also involve the child’s perspective. It's not only about getting information from parents and teachers. The child will be asked about their struggles. [12:01] - There are several domains that are being assessed during the testing session. Domains may vary depending on the test, but Dr. Wilson breaks down the domains you will find in a comprehensive evaluation designed for determining the root of the problem. [12:27] - One such domain is Intellectual Functioning. This typically asks the child to complete tasks that they have never been asked to complete before. This causes them to pull from past experiences and use their problem solving skills to complete the tasks successfully. [14:09] - Another domain that is typically assessed is Academic Achievement in the areas of Reading, Writing, and Math. Oftentimes, this is when the learning difficulties are first noticed. [15:35] - When assessing academics, Dr. Wilson explains that some tasks will be timed and others will be untimed which helps determine an appropriate intervention or accommodation. [16:21] - Another domain that’s assessed is Attention and Concentration which can greatly interfere with learning processes. [17:15] - Memory is also looked at as that is critical in a learning environment. Can the child pull information from memory? Does the child have a stronger visual memory than verbal memory? [18:39] - Another process that is looked at is Executive Functioning which will be explained in greater detail in a future episode. It is an umbrella term that includes organization, planning, and an individual’s ability to work towards a goal. [19:19] - Language Functioning is also assessed which includes expressive language and receptive language. How do they express themselves? How do they understand others? [20:14] - The evaluation also looks at Visual Spatial and Visual Motor Functioning which helps us understand how the child perceives information that he or she sees. This also includes motor skills, like holding a pencil. [21:23] - Something important to keep in mind is that children and adolescents are social beings. They will often have an emotional response to their struggles. An evaluation will also look at anxiety and depression. [23:15] - In parent and teacher questionnaires there will be questions about stomach aches and headaches and determine if there is a pattern. [23:50] - Behaviors in which a child acts out, such as defiance or breaking rules, are also looked at as these could co-exist with the learning difficulty or a way for the child to cover up the struggle. [24:45] - In contact with the child’s parents, Dr. Wilson also explains that media use will be asked about which could be affecting sleep, attention, and has a connection with depression. [26:46] - Exercise is also looked at as it can enhance mental health and brain growth. Is there a connection between the child’s amount of exercise and their challenges? [27:18] - Once all of this information is gathered, Dr. Wilson can use it to determine if there is a disorder, what the disorder is, and can then develop an appropriate intervention. [28:51] - The information from this assessment also helps a parent or educator be more patient and gives them guidance on how to help them. [30:23] - An assessment is only the first step. It determines the reason for the struggle and once we have that information and gives us a roadmap to help the child to overcome their struggles so that they can thrive.   Links and Resources: ChildNEXUS Home Page More About Dr. Karen Wilson What is a Comprehensive Evaluation and How Can it Help Support My Child’s Learning? Pediatric Neuropsychological Assessment Signs Your Child May Have a Learning Disorder

Millions of kids struggle with learning, processing, and social difficulties. These challenges interfere with their ability to reach their full potential. My name is Dr. Karen Wilson and I am on a mission to make sure that when kids are struggling, we find out why and we give them the support they need to thrive.   Welcome to the Diverse Thinking Different Learning Podcast. This podcast is a resource for parents and educators working with children with learning difficulties. It is my hope that after listening to this show, you will better understand the challenges that some kids face and know how to help them overcome difficulties, become more resilient, maintain a love for learning, and experience more success.   Today I’m discussing what struggles look like for kids with learning challenges, what parents and educators should do when they see kids are struggling, when to consider an evaluation for a child, and the benefits of targeted intervention.    Show Notes: [0:45] - Welcome to the first episode!  [1:36] - This episode is about why the identification of learning challenges is so important. What do we do right and where do we go wrong? [2:24] - Approximately 5% of school aged children have a learning disability and 13% of all public school students receive special education services. Another 15% are struggling due to an unidentified learning or attention issue. [3:40] - Children who see Dr. Wilson are those who have been struggling in some aspect of their life at school and/or at home. [4:10] - Struggles can look different in different children. It may be an issue with listening, concentrating, motivation, etc. Dr. Wilson lists many different examples of what struggles look like in different children. [5:36] - With misunderstanding sometimes comes mislabeling. Mislabeling can lead to behavioral problems and can cause a lot more anxiety. [6:57] - We see the struggle, but what we tend to do is to rationalize the difficulty. We say that they’ll grow out of it, they’re lazy, or they’re the youngest in the class. We are doing them a disservice when we do this. [9:01] - When children have a learning disorder, they typically experience trouble learning skills in the regular classroom and tend to be behind their peers in one or more areas. [10:13] - Dr. Wilson uses an example of a child struggling with reading comprehension. A common “solution” is to jump to an intervention. But if you don’t know what the underlying problem is, how can you appropriately intervene? [11:05] - Some reasons a child may be struggling with reading comprehension is poor working memory, poor phonological processing, and some could have issues with receptive language. Dr. Wilson describes these in length and demonstrates how every child has very different needs. [14:45] - The same is true for writing. Writing is such a complex task for students to tackle. [15:12] - Some children experience fine motor struggles and become fatigued when writing. Others may have a problem getting started, which Dr. Wilson shares is called task initiation. Expressive language could be the issue or it could be an attention problem.  [17:18] - Children have a lot to say and have a lot of great ideas. For children who are struggling with phonological processing, they know what they want to write but their spelling interferes with their ability to demonstrate what they know. [18:08] - If you don’t know why a child is struggling, it is difficult to give them the proper support. [18:42] - When Dr. Wilson conducts evaluations for children with learning difficulties in her private practice, she is able to uncover the reason for the struggle. These assessments serve as a guide for appropriate intervention to address the difficulties a child experiences. [19:16] - 1 in 3 children with one learning disorder will also meet criteria for an additional disorder. [21:01] - When we give children the appropriate, evidence-based intervention for their specific learning disorder, we can reorganize their brain pathways and we will see significant improvement. [22:51] - Not all kids who struggle need a full, comprehensive evaluation. Some learning struggles could be tied to anxiety. [23:58] - If a child has anxiety and a learning disorder, the intervention for the learning disorder is not enough. The anxiety also needs to be addressed. [24:26] - A child struggling with anxiety may be irritable, extremely tired, have difficulty sleeping, and may have concentration issues. [25:31] - As human beings, we spend approximately one-third of our lives in a state of sleep, yet 70% of American kids and adults get insufficient sleep. When kids don’t get enough sleep, you get poor attention or other possible issues in school. [27:41] - When a real problem continues to be rationalized and unidentified, children may grow to have low self esteem and are at greater risk of struggling with anxiety and depression. [28:37] - As adolescents, these children are also at a higher risk of dropping out of school and abusing substances. [29:18] - We have to move from observing the struggle to getting students the appropriate intervention and stop rationalizing the problem.   If something in this episode resonated with you, I want to know about it. Thank you so much for listening! Links and Resources: ChildNEXUS Home Page More About Dr. Karen Wilson When A Child Struggles in School - A Quick Guide for Parents Signs Your Child May Have a Learning Disorder

Welcome to the Diverse Thinking Different Learning Podcast! I am Dr. Karen Wilson and I am thrilled to begin this podcast journey with you. With my background and experience in pediatric neuropsychology and higher education, I am on a unique mission to inform, educate, and empower parents and educators who see kids struggling and don’t know what to do to help. It is my hope that by listening to this podcast you will have an “ah-ha” moment that prompts you to take action that changes the trajectory of a child or adolescent’s life. Show Notes: [0:55] - Dr. Karen Wilson specializes in the evaluation of children who struggle with learning processes. [1:17] - Why this podcast and why now? Dr. Wilson shares with us her inspiration to bring this podcast to life. [2:00] - Dr. Wilson was becoming frustrated with the lack of support for children and families. She wants to reach more kids than just the ones who came into her private practice. [2:56] - In this weekly podcast, she is committed to serving communities, not just clients. [3:13] - This podcast is for parents and educators who see kids struggling and want to know what they can do to support them and help them thrive. [4:14] - It is Dr. Wilson’s hope that by listening to this podcast, you will have an “ah-ha” moment that prompts you to take action that changes the trajectory of a child or adolescent’s life.   I am so looking forward to working with you on this podcast journey! Thank you for joining me! Links and Resources: More about Dr. Karen Wilson ChildNEXUS Home Page