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Pediatric Neuropsychology at Valley Children's

Our specialists in the Neuropsychology Department at Valley Children’s provide consultation and evaluation services for children and young adults with known or suspected dysfunction of the central nervous system (CNS: brain and spinal cord). Our doctors specialize in the assessment of brain and spinal cord functioning and disruption in relation to the patient’s abilities involving cognition (thinking and information processing), motor and sensory abilities, adaptive functioning, in addition to general behavior and emotional status. 

Our doctors can also provide information relating to:

  • Levels of functioning (strengths, weaknesses and/or deficits)
  • Expected outcomes/prognoses over time
  • Recovery potential
  • Short and long term needs for intervention or accommodations
  • Effects of injury on neurodevelopment as relating to the patient’s specific type, severity and extent of CNS pathology

Follow-up services may include the following in addition to referring patients/families for additional services:

  • Monitoring recovery course or ongoing neurodevelopment
  • Providing information and education regarding the patient’s condition
  • Developing recommendations for intervention or accommodations relating to health, school, work, adaptive functioning, and quality of life

Advanced neurodiagnostic consultations and evaluations are provided by our specialists, and may include:

  • Interpretation of neuroimaging from a pathological/clinical/functional perspective
  • Assessment of cortical structures/pathways using Functional MRI (fMRI) and DTI procedures
  • Wada procedures (transfemoral intracarotid sodium amytal/brevital studies of brain functioning)
  • Intrasurgical or subdural brain mapping via electrocorticography/electrical stimulation of cortical regions


The Department of Neuropsychology provides services primarily for inpatient programs. Priority is given to inpatients and outpatient follow-up appointments for previous inpatients. There are limited resources for new outpatient consultations. In addition, we do not accept external outpatient referrals for patients with primarily developmental disorders (Autism Spectrum, Learning Disabilities, ADHD, etc.), or those with conditions related to a patient’s behavioral, emotional or psychiatric functioning.