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Yes. A neuropsychological evaluation can be requested through your primary care physician. Depending on your insurance and how your PCP writes it up, insurance may pay for a significant portion of it. You can also have components of it done by requesting an initial evaluation for special education through your local public school district. You would pay nothing additional for that. A school eval typically would include testing in the areas of suspected disability, which in this case you would identify as anxiety, social skills, handwriting/fine motor, and a possible learning disability in written expression. A decent school eval would then test him in the areas of cognitive ability, academics, social-emotional, and occupational therapy. A clinic-based neuropsychological would cover all of these areas except OT, but would likely have some additional assessments in executive functions and various specific cognitive processes. If cost is an issue, and your insurance doesn't approve or cover a private neuropsychological, the school eval can be a good place to start. You probably won't get in to see anyone in either place until the fall, though.

I would be concerned that he has a learning issue as well.

Thank you again aeh. This past fall I requested an initial evaluation for special education after DS9 met with the developmental-behavioral pediatrician but was told he did not meet the requirements. The DBP wanted DS9 to have an IEP in place and I went in with a copy of his evaluation. The special education team determined his cognitive and academics skills were too advanced just based on his grades, teacher reports and initial CogAT screening that the teacher presented at the meeting. He was approved for a 504 for ASD anxiety issues only allowing more time on tests and work. However, this has not really happened. I hope this is making sense. I will proceed with the pcp for the neuropsychological evaluation. So far I have not had much response from the school. DS9 is a very sweet quiet child and does not cause any problems. I do worry he will fall through the cracks. Thanks so much for your input. It has been very helpful.

Sorry to hear they were not more responsive. It is true that some states have more restrictive criteria (and allow less comprehensive assessments to be sufficient; I would not consider the CogAT to be a good assessment of cognitive ability, nor would grades be an objective enough quantitative measure, but some states have policies that would deem those sufficient).

If your PCP writes the referral up as medically-focused, rather than educational in nature, you are more likely to get prior authorization from the insurance company. Since he has both medical (anxiety, social skills, fine motor skills) and educational (written expression) areas of suspected need, this is entirely legitimate. You should get the same kind of diagnostic information and recommendations regardless.

Thanks for your response kchow1. My son was diagnosed medically. He has been going to therapy for about a year and it seems to focus mostly on anxiety. They never once mentioned ABA therapy. I am not sure if it is covered by my insurance but social skills sounds like just what he needs. He had a social skills group at school but this did not work out. The other boys would end up going to recess and he would stay in by himself with the counselor. I am not sure exactly why my DS has a hard time socializing. He does does not respond to other children when they talk to him and ignores other children when they try to play with him unless he has known them for a long time. I am not sure if it is fear based or not. He does not greet people he casually knows and when we ask why not he says they are not his friend so he does not need to. We have tried to encourage him to use greetings such as "Hi or Bye" but this has been a struggle unless he really knows the person like a grandparent. It is easier for him with adults. His interests seem to be a little different than other boys his age. He likes to play with magnets, study plants, fungus, rocks, minerals, space etc. He has a little science lab in which he spends a lot of time mixing things and doing his own kid experiments. He reads a lot about science related subjects and fantasy fiction books. He is very picky about friends and will not talk to kids who do not follow rules. He also struggles on a playground with so many rules and he worries about hurting other children and worries about germs from kids on indoor play equipment. He will play and interact with his siblings. He usually makes elaborate games up and is dominate in play even with his big brother.

Thank you aeh! I will look into this.