Pediatric neuropsychology vs. developmental pediatrics

[lg1527]

I work closely with both pediatric neuropsychologists and developmental pediatricians at an academic medical center. The developmental pediatricians typically conduct evaluations for autism, intellectual and adaptive functioning, and occasionally, learning disabilities. The pediatric neuropsychologists conduct full day evaluations assessing multiple cognitive domains with referrals from a variety of providers (e.g., neurology, concussion, hematology/oncology, etc.). More recently, some developmental pediatricians have been administering and interpreting executive functioning and memory tests, which are traditionally done by the pediatric neuropsychologists. Several executive functioning measures explicitly state that such tests should be interpreted by a clinical neuropsychologist. A few questions for folks who fall under the category of one of these providers or work with them:

1. How are the boundaries between pediatric neuropsychology and developmental pediatrics defined at your institution? In what ways do they overlap?
2. What types of tests are board-certified developmental pediatricians allowed to conduct and interpret?
3. When should a patient be referred to a pediatric neuropsychologist vs. developmental pediatrician?

Thanks in advance.

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[PsyDr]

Well, the pediatrician can legally administer tests. Of course they have zero training in that. Which I’ve regularly used in court to show how someone is doing something they have zero education in. Guess how a jury decides when they hear that?