Psychology
At TracksHealth our team of highly trained Psychologists and Provisional Psychologists conduct a range of comprehensive diagnostic assessments and interventions for children and adolescents from birth to 18 years of age.
Our clinical staff incorporate evidence informed practices to support children and adolescents.
At TracksHealth our counselling and therapeutic interventions include working with young people experiencing:
- Trauma
- Anxiety and depression
- Behaviour difficulties
- Interpersonal skills and friendship difficulties
- Support for parents and caregivers
All Psychological Assessments include:
- Pre-assessment consultation with parents and carers to understand concerns and to develop an individualised assessment protocol to suit the child's individual needs
- A copy of the report
- Post assessment consult to explain results and answer any questions
TracksHealth clinicians take a client centred approach, ensuring the young person is comfortable with the clinician and the assessment environment. We value collaboration and consultation with those important to the young person including family members, school teachers and day care providers.
Common Types of Assessments
Autism Spectrum Disorder Assessments
An Autism Spectrum Disorder assessment may be recommended if there are concerns with your child's social functioning, communication and/or your child is displaying restricted and repetitive behaviour, interests or there are concerns with sensory integration.
Our comprehensive Autism Spectrum Disorder assessments include the gold standard assessments:
- ADI-R - Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised
- ADOS-2 - Autism Diagnostic Observational Schedule
Assessments include in-depth interviews with parents/carers exploring your child's developmental history, current functioning and presenting areas of concern and difficulty.
A semi-structured play assessment is conducted for your child, including functional living assessments across several key environments which may include school or day care observations if appropriate.
Cognitive Assessments
A cognitive assessment may be recommended if your child is suspected of having a cognitive impairment, is having difficulty at school with academic tasks, or is suspected of being gifted and talented.
Cognitive assessments assess the overall intellectual ability of children when compared to similar aged peers. Cognitive assessments include an assessment of your child's current adaptive functioning.
Our cognitive assessments include:
- WPPSI-IV - Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence 4th Edition
- WISC-V - Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
- SB5 - Standford Binet Fifth Edition
Academic Assessments
An academic assessment of learning may be recommended if your child is suspected of being gifted and talented, is having difficulty at school with academic tasks and/or inconsistent performance with academic tasks. Commonly children may be referred for this type of assessment if they are suspected to have 'dyslexia' or 'dyscalculia' (alternative terms used to refer to a pattern of difficulties).
A learning assessment includes both a cognitive assessment (including adaptive functioning) and the WIAT-III Third Edition, Wechsler Individual Achievement Test.
Together these assessments identify your child's specific areas of strengths and weaknesses, and the interventions required.
ADHD Assessments
An Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment may be recommended if your child has difficulty with attention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity.
Assessments include a comprehensive evaluation of behaviour across key environments, including school or day care observations, and visual and auditory attention assessments.
Mental Health - Anxiety and Depression Assessments
A mental health assessment is a broad assessment that evaluates concerns you may have with your child's emotional wellbeing, and may include difficulties at home and school or day care.
These assessments include a comprehensive consultation with parents/carers and the young person exploring presenting problems and rating scales.
Additional assessments may be included in the assessment to ensure the needs of the child are being met, including memory and executive functioning assessments and completion of behaviour checklists.
Developmental Assessments
A developmental assessment may be recommended if there are concerns with your child meeting developmental milestones, concerns with your child’s development in the areas of social and emotional functioning, intellectual functioning, and communication.
The Griffiths Developmental Scale, Third Edition, along with other assessments as needed, are utilised to determine if your child has a Global Developmental Delay and would benefit from early intervention.