By Ann Helmus, Ph.D. Founder and Director, NESCA At NESCA, we are thrilled to share how 2025 has gotten off to an incredible start! During the very first week of the year, we had the pleasure of welcoming three new neuropsychologists to the NESCA team. These talented clinicians started their NESCA careers with an intensive week-long training, during which many...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA Did you know that vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies are required to provide services to students with disabilities in order to prepare them for future employment? The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), enacted in 2014, mandates Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), which may be provided through VR agencies, contracted community partners,...
By: Alison Burns, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Neuropsychological evaluations integrate information collected from multiple sources: (1) history and presenting concerns obtained during clinical interviews with a parent/guardian and the patient, (2) information from a review of records (e.g., past testing reports, school plans, such as IEPs or 504 plans, medical documentation), and (3) neuropsychological and psychological test findings. While these...
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach, NESCA You adapt your approach with neuropsychological evaluations for each individual based on their developmental stage. Tell us about that. With younger kids, it’s a much more interactive experience. Their attention spans are shorter, so they often need a warmer environment that feels less intimidating. Sometimes it’s getting on the ground and...
By: Cynthia Hess, PsyD Pediatric Neuropsychologist Perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by setting unrealistically high standards for oneself and striving for flawlessness. It often includes having idealized goals that are unrealistically ambitious. Many factors contribute to the development of perfectionism. Living in a culture that values achievement, especially in academics, sports, or arts, and messaging on social media that...
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach, NESCA NESCA is excited to welcome Sean Hyde O’Brien, Psy.D., ABPdN, to our team, conducting evaluations in the Newton, Massachusetts office! My interview with Dr. O’Brien offers an opportunity for readers to get to know him, his professional background, experiences and expertise, and his approach to working with children, adolescents, and young...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA Expert Clinicians with Specialized Training Our team of transition specialists brings decades of experience supporting teens and young adults with a wide range of needs, from mild to complex. As Director of Transition Services, I have closely trained and supervised each of our specialists. Together, we have multidisciplinary expertise spanning...
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach, NESCA Transition Specialist and Special Educator Sarah LaFerriere, M.Ed., joined NESCA during the summer. We’d like to take the opportunity to formally introduce her and fill you in on her inspiration for getting into Special Education and eventually Transition Services as well as her previous professional experiences, and how she supports families...
By: Carly Loureiro, MSW, LICSW Therapist, Executive Function Coach, Parent Coach Despite the many benefits of therapy, many people still hesitate to seek it out or see it through when things are seemingly going well. This hesitation can stem from a variety of factors, including societal attitudes, personal beliefs, and misconceptions about therapy. Going to therapy even when you’re not...
By: Carly Loureiro, MSW, LICSW Therapist, Executive Function Coach, Parent Coach Home for the holidays isn’t always as it appears in a Hallmark movie. For many NESCA families, the holidays bring considerable anxiety and a fear of the unknown. Whether you have a family member returning home from a residential program or have a child coming home for school/college winter...
By: Erin Gibbons, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA NESCA opened in 2007 in beautiful Newton, Massachusetts, which is a central location for many residents of the state, who are coming from different directions. Over the last 17 years, we have expanded both in Massachusetts and beyond to Londonderry, NH, Plainville, MA, and Hingham, MA (our newest location). Our amazing intake coordinators...
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach, NESCA I had the chance to interview Dr. Alison Burns, a pediatric neuropsychologist who joined NESCA earlier this year. I learned a lot about Dr. Burns, both personally and professionally in my interview. I invite you to learn more about her, her approach to pediatric neuropsychological evaluation, and her expertise in ADHD...
By Dot Lucci, M.Ed., CAGS Director of Consultation and Psychoeducational Services, NESCA In the United States, we have federal and state laws that support individuals with disabilities: The ADA, IDEA, Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation, Chapter 766, Chapter 688, and more. Each of these laws supports the inclusion of individuals with disabilities at school, in employment, and in the...
By: Lyndsay Wood, OTD, OTR/L NESCA Executive Function and Real-life Skills Program Manager Self-regulation is a critical skill for anyone entering the workplace, but for neurodivergent teens and young adults, it can be particularly challenging. These individuals may face overstimulation, burnout, emotional dysregulation, and many other unexpected challenges in the work setting. Occupational therapy (OT) can play a pivotal role in...
By Jasmine Badamo, MA Executive Function Coach; Educational Counselor This year I’ve started working with a new batch of freshmen who are embarking on their college journeys. The first semester is always a whirlwind of emotions: nervousness, excitement, anticipation, but most of all, overwhelm. Even at colleges that prioritize supporting students in their transition to campus life, it can be...
By: Kristen Simon, M.Ed, Ed.S Transition Specialist; Psychoeducational Counselor As the school year picks up momentum, many parents of 12th-grade students find themselves wondering if their students will be truly ready to take the plunge into college life. Parents of younger students may also be noticing academic or social challenges and wondering how to ensure their teens are on the right...
By Ann Helmus, Ph.D. Founder and Director, NESCA In the field of pediatric neuropsychology, the complexities of child development and the wide array of diagnoses children may face can often be overwhelming for any one practitioner to fully grasp. With this in mind, I chose to open NESCA’s doors as a group practice back in 2007. The advantages of a...
By Miranda Milana, Psy.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist With the start of the school year well underway, we are beginning to see students and teachers settling into their classroom routines. Along with this increase in familiarity and comfortability, parents often start to see bits and pieces of challenges arise around this time of year that may have gone unnoticed during the initial...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA Transition planning has long been a critical component of special education, mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004). Its purpose is to prepare students for life beyond high school in the areas of postsecondary education and/or training, employment, and independent living. While federal law requires...
By Angela Currie, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist; Londonderry, NH Director, NESCA At August’s Democratic National Convention, Gus Walz, the teenage son of Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz and his wife Gwen, melted hearts throughout the country with his outward show of emotions upon his father’s nomination. He exhibited deep love and pride for his dad in that moment. His tearful...
By: Rebecca Dautoff, Psy.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Access to mental health care is an increasingly critical issue across the United States, and Massachusetts is no exception. While the state is often lauded for its comprehensive healthcare system and progressive policies, barriers to mental health care still persist. In this blog post, we will explore the current landscape of mental health...
By: Lauren Halladay, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Throughout the evaluation process, many families express concern about the potential negative impacts of placing diagnostic labels on a child. Unfortunately, parental worries associated with stigmatization, as well as others making incorrect assumptions and placing inappropriate expectations on their child are common and valid. As such, it is reasonable to ask, “where does...
By: Sarah LaFerriere, M.Ed. Transition Specialist & Special Educator, NESCA Supporting students with disabilities is an experience filled with opportunities to help them grow and succeed. One key area to focus on is promoting independence, which involves carefully managing the use of prompts. If not handled well, prompt dependence can become a significant barrier, especially as students move toward transition...
By: Alison Burns, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Unfortunately, every year, many children and adolescents experience concussions. A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when an individual sustains a blow to the head or body that results in the brain moving rapidly back and forth. This causes the brain to stretch and strain, resulting in a vast array...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA As educators and professionals who support parents, having a checklist focused on transition planning requirements for students with disabilities can help to ensure that students are prepared for life after high school. The most obvious source for such a checklist is Indicator 13, which is a compliance indicator required by...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA Let me explain… For anyone who is working with children, teenagers, or young adults in 2024, there is no question that we are working with more openly transgender and nonbinary youth than we were in 2004. Because of this, NESCA recently held a staff seminar led by Dr. Sebastian Barr,...
By: Alissa Talamo, PhD Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA While it is important for children to have the summer to relax and recharge, summer is also an opportunity to make reading a fun and enjoyable experience. Research demonstrates that students who do not read over the summer are more likely to “slide” or lose skills during that time period, while students who...
By: Renee Cutiongco Folsom, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist I know that summer is about to end here in New England when I see posts on Facebook from my West Coast friends about their children’s first day of school and when every other commercial on TV is heralding back-to-school sales. A little sense of panic sets in, because of all the preparations...
By: Carly Loureiro, MSW, LCSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Executive Function Coach Phrases like “mind over matter,” “the glass is half full,” and “making lemonade out of lemons,” are more than just popular sayings; they capture the essence of having a positive mindset. With the complexities that everyday life can bring, maintaining a positive mindset can feel overwhelming. Negative...
By: Erin Gibbons, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA A neuropsychological evaluation is a big investment of your time and financial resources. At the end of the process, you are provided with a lengthy report. You might think, “Now what? How do I use this report?” At NESCA, we pride ourselves on writing reports that are comprehensive and highly individualized to each...
By: Yvonne Asher, Ph.D. NESCA Pediatric Neuropsychologist When we conduct a neuropsychological evaluation with a child, adolescent, or adult, one important component involves administering a battery of assessments. This is certainly not the only, or many times the most important, component, but it is part of the unique skill set of a neuropsychologist. A large percentage of these assessments are...
By Miranda Milana, Psy.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist I often hear from parents and caregivers that their child has several friends and likes going to social events, leading them to wonder how they could have autism. First, let’s take a look at what autism is: Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder classified by persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction...
By Angela Currie, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist; Londonderry, NH Director, NESCA At NESCA, all neuropsychological evaluations from ages pre-k through young adult include assessment of academic skills, in addition to assessment of other domains, including intellectual, language, memory, attention, executive function, social, and emotional skills. Because learning is a primary “job” for any individual in this age range, it is important...
By: Lyndsay Wood, OTD, OTR/L NESCA Executive Function and Real-life Skills Program Manager Summer is coming! We are finally feeling that sunshine on our skin. You may be noticing your motivation increasing as you thaw from your winter hibernation. A lot of people find that this is a great time to start tackling those goals and projects you have been putting...
By: Moira Creedon, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA I was fortunate to join my colleague, Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS, in a recent presentation about fostering self-advocacy and self-determination for young adults. The focus of our conversation was around encouraging teens to participate in the special education process as active members of their IEP team. It got me thinking: what are other...
By: Renee Cutiongco Folsom, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist It is graduation time again. Graduation speeches usually include a portion where the graduates thank their parents, siblings, friends, and teachers for their success. Most of the time they also thank coaches, mentors, and counselors for their accomplishments. Listening to them takes me back to my own graduation experience where I credited part...
By Jasmine Badamo, MA Educational Counselor; Executive Function Coach Last week’s blog discussed the “zone of proximal development” and the importance of providing young people with calculated challenges in order to facilitate their executive function development (https://nesca-newton.com/allow-them-to-be-challenged-building-childrens-executive-functions-part-1/). Because the balance between providing support and allowing challenge is highly individual, I wanted to write a follow-up blog providing some examples of...
By Jasmine Badamo, MA Educational Counselor; Executive Function Coach Executive function – the ability to engage in goal-directed behaviors, such as planning, organization, focus, and self-regulation – is a set of cognitive skills that all individuals possess and use on a daily basis. Like any skill, each person’s executive function is at varying stages of proficiency and development. Furthermore, a...
By: Kristen Simon, M.Ed, Ed.S Transition Specialist; Psychoeducational Counselor As the countdown to Summer begins post April vacation, teens are getting excited for this season of rest, with more time to socialize and spend their days doing the things they want to do. While the first two weeks tend to be filled with high energy and plans, as the summer continues,...
By Dot Lucci, M.Ed., CAGS Director of Consultation and Psychoeducational Services, NESCA Any driver who has ever cruised down a highway and suddenly sees flashing blue lights and hears the siren of a police car pulling up behind them knows that feeling of panic and dread – that immediate stress response that runs through your body. The internal questioning begins…What...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA The goal of transition services is to help students who are on IEPs to progress toward their measurable postsecondary goals. This includes planning for future learning and work situations, and also planning for future living—as independently as possible. An enormous challenge that comes up in this planning process is that...
By: Maggie Rodriguez, Psy.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Among the parts of my job that I find most meaningful are the conversations I get to have with parents during intake and feedback sessions. During an intake, much of the emphasis is on history taking. Some of it isn’t very exciting; trust me, I get that it can be tedious to review...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA With vacation weeks coming up in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, many local families—especially those with juniors in high school—are contemplating visits to college campuses. School vacation weeks in the spring are a great time to visit colleges because you can tour the campus at a point in time when students...
By: Alissa Talamo, PhD Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan “Our potential is one thing. What we...
By: Cynthia Hess, PsyD Pediatric Neuropsychologist One of society’s leading sources of information is social media, which can be an excellent source of information and support. Parents may turn to social media when they notice their child struggling, trying to find others with similar concerns or answers about why their child seems “different.” Additionally, many children, adolescents, and young adults...
By: Carly Edelstein, MSW, LCSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Executive Function Coach Mental Health challenges and executive function (EF) deficits are often intertwined, as one can easily impact the severity of the other. As a psychotherapist and executive function coach, I find myself regularly assessing my clients with comorbid EF and mental health challenges in order to identify which presented...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA March is an incredibly busy time in my household. Three out of four of our family members celebrate birthdays, winter sports turn into playoffs, and school events seem to pop up every week. March is also the time when we finalize our “summer camp plan” and manage lengthy online registration...
By: Lauren Halladay, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Children with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often struggle to sustain attention, follow directions, and appropriately interact with peers when compared to children with typical development. Executive functioning challenges, including difficulties with self-regulation, are also common in individuals with ADHD. Executive functioning refers to the neuropsychological-based functions involved in the regulation of behavioral states...
By Jasmine Badamo, MA Educational Counselor; Executive Function Coach In my work as an executive function tutor, a priority is to foster collaborations with the other adults in my clients’ lives. Every relationship brings something different to a young person: different perspectives, areas of expertise, support abilities, opportunities for conflict management, etc. But while every person in your child’s life...
By: Alissa Talamo, PhD Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Redshirting is a phrase that has traditionally been associated with college athletics, such as when coaches “redshirt” first-year athletes, providing younger athletes an additional year to develop skills and extend their playing eligibility. Academically, redshirting your child means choosing to delay kindergarten for a year even though your child is technically old enough...
By Miranda Milana, Psy.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist In January, Dr. Folsom published a blog post detailing the reasons why so many females on the autism spectrum are misdiagnosed in childhood. Here at NESCA, we are continuously working to improve our testing practices and administration protocols to ensure that we accurately capture one’s diagnostic picture when they come in for a comprehensive...
By: Lyndsay Wood, OTD, OTR/L NESCA Executive Function and Real-life Skills Program Manager As winter envelops us in its chilly embrace, it’s easy to feel the drag on our productivity. The cold, dark days can sap our motivation, making it challenging to tackle our to-do lists. But fear not! In this second part of our series on technology tools to enhance...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA Students with disabilities often have challenges with executive function skills. These may include difficulties with organization, planning and prioritization, time management, task initiation, attention and effort, working memory, self-regulation, self-monitoring, and mental flexibility. Being successful as a college student often depends on using and integrating these skills. Therefore, it’s no...
By: Moira Creedon, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA A child with significant mental health or developmental needs impacts the whole family system. The impact is multifaceted – from the way that a child interacts in the home environment to the challenging logistics of coordinating outpatient care and appointments. Families have to make sacrifices with their time, attention, and financial resources to...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services; Transition Specialist As an evaluator and consultant, I spend a lot of time in team meetings. Usually, I expect to be invited to more of these at the beginning of the school year when teams meet to review assessments or important changes that have occurred during summer months. But May and...
By: Renee Cutiongco Folsom, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist In the 15 years that I have been doing neuropsychological evaluations, I have made countless diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in females who are already in high school or even in college. Many times, the diagnosis comes as a surprise to the girls and the families alike, because no one has ever...
By: Kristen Simon, M.Ed, Ed.S Transition Specialist; Psychoeducational Counselor There can be a lot of confusion for students who have received special education services or accommodations in high school about what stays the same and what changes in college. Some high school families and staff know that if a student has received IEP services throughout school, the IEP does not travel...
By Dot Lucci, M.Ed., CAGS Director of Consultation and Psychoeducational Counseling Services, NESCA We use the start of every new year as motivation to set goals for ourselves, and we often ask children to do the same thing. A New Year’s Resolution is a tradition, in which we set our mind, heart, and spirit to change an undesired trait or...
By: Maggie Rodriguez, Psy.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Are the holidays the “most magical time of the year?” Maybe, but they can also be the most stressful. In fact, a recent survey by the American Psychological Association found that 41% of U.S. adults experience increased stress levels around the holidays, while 52% find their stress levels remain the same, and only...
By: Alissa Talamo, PhD Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA After recently participating in the virtual conference of the International Dyslexia Association, two presentations that particularly sparked my interest were, “How Handwriting Impacts Literacy Development,” presented by Carol Armann OTR/L and Kathleen S. Wright of The Handwriting Collaborative LLC, and, “Dysgraphia – Recognize, Diagnose, and Remediate,” by Debi Buchanan, Ed.D. and Sheryl Frierson,...
By: Cynthia Hess, PsyD Pediatric Neuropsychologist At school, we have had increasing difficulty with children refusing to leave their car at drop-off because they are on their tablets and do not want to stop what they are doing to go to school. Screen time has long been discussed regarding how much is too much and recommendations offered for limiting screen...
By: Erin Gibbons, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA When a child or adolescent is exhibiting challenging behaviors, it is helpful to understand why the behaviors are occurring. The first step is to analyze the situational factors surrounding the behaviors: A: Antecedent. What is happening right before the behavior occurred? B: Behavior. What is the specific behavior that the child/adolescent exhibited? C:...
By: Carly Edelstein, MSW, LCSW Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Executive Function Coach During the pandemic, providers all over the world implemented virtual services. While some therapy clients preferred and/or needed to shift back to in-person once deemed safe, others grew fond of meeting with their therapist virtually. Given the effectiveness, convenience, and flexibility, teletherapy is here to stay. Unlike medical...
By Jasmine Badamo, MA Educational Counselor; Executive Function Tutor Last week I discussed how being flexible and adaptable is a great way to support individuals with executive function struggles. Today I’d like to give you a few examples of how that would look in real life! Scenario #1 You are the parent from the nighttime routine debacle from last week....
By Jasmine Badamo, MA Educational Counselor; Executive Function Tutor The Dreaded Nighttime Routine Hey parents, tell me if this rings a bell. Instead of bedtime being relaxing, it fills you with anticipatory dread. Bedtime is in 15 minutes, and you are scrambling to get your child ready. After prompting your child for the 27th time to pick a pair of...
By: Lauren Halladay, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Many families are curious about neurodevelopmental testing. Neuropsychologists who specialize in working with young children are often asked about when it is appropriate to pursue an evaluation, what the evaluation process entails, and where to go. Why Would a Young Child Need an Evaluation? There are developmental milestones across several domains that children...
By Jasmine Badamo, MA Educational Counselor; Executive Function Tutor I previously wrote a blog, “Why a task is never just a simple task,” in which we broke down all the demands involved in a seemingly simple writing assignment. As the holidays begin to approach and the fall semester starts to wind down at colleges across the country, students face another...
By Angela Currie, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist; NH Director, NESCA For three days every July, students, clinicians, and researchers from around the country descend upon Milwaukee for Marquette University’s Neuroanatomical Dissection Course. This Marquette course is the only one in the world that provides a continuing education opportunity to learn about advances in neuroscience research while also engaging in hands-on brain...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA Last September, I received an email from a colleague with the title May I nominate you? The body of the email described that October is Gap Year Exploration Month (GYEM) and asked if I would be willing to be a GYEM Amplifier, meaning would I be willing to share information...
By: Yvonne Asher, Ph.D. NESCA Pediatric Neuropsychologist “You’re going to have a tough conversation on your hands,” I said. The parent sighed and nodded in response. “That’s what her ABA provider said, too,” she responded. This conversation would not be difficult because her child was acting out, engaging in challenging behaviors, or taking up a great deal of adult time....
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach, NESCA NESCA is excited to announce that it is opening a Hingham location to serve clients on the South Shore of Massachusetts. NESCA is currently booking appointments now for Neuropsychological and Psychological Evaluation Services commencing on November 1, 2023. Learn more about what is being offered by our Hingham-based staff from my...
By: Lyndsay Wood, OTD, OTR/L NESCA Executive Function and Real-life Skills Program Manager As the new school year unfolds, many of us struggle to transition from the carefree days of summer into the rigorous routines of being a productive and organized student. If you find yourself grappling with low energy, an overwhelming list of tasks, scattered notes, forgotten homework, and neglected...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA Good transition planning is about building a “team” that can outlast special education and using resources wisely. There is often talk of “maximizing benefits” so that private funds can be reserved and made to last. In order to create an effective and individualized transition plan, you have to know what...
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach, NESCA NESCA welcomes Ms. Carly Edelstein, MSW, LCSW, back to its coaching and psychotherapy services teams. She previously interned with NESCA, and we are thrilled to have her back on board as both a Psychotherapist and Executive Function Coach. Read more about Ms. Edelstein’s career journey and her return to NESCA in...
By Dot Lucci, M.Ed., CAGS Director of Consultation and Psychoeducational Counseling Services, NESCA NESCA’s International Work NESCA is well regarded as an expert in providing neuropsychological evaluations for children and teens from around the globe as part of its International Evaluation program. To date, NESCA has provided evaluations to clients from more than 20 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, South...
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach, NESCA NESCA recently announced that it is now offering transition services and coaching services in the Greater Burlington, Vermont region. Learn more about what is being offered by our Vermont-based staff from my interview with Vermont-based Program Manager Dr. Lyndsay Wood, OTD, OTR/L. Why did NESCA expand to Vermont and how can...
By: Ferne Pinard, Ph.D. NESCA Pediatric Neuropsychologist Although typically thought of as an “adult illness,” children and adolescents can get diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) occurs when MS is diagnosed before age 18. Approximately 30% of POMS patients show evidence of cognitive impairment. Problems with attention, working memory, processing speed, and language (including word retrieval) are...
By: Maggie Rodriguez, Psy.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Before I had children, I knew parenting would bring with it new demands. If you’d asked me what tasks I imagined would take a lot of my time and energy as a parent, I would have listed things like feeding hungry little mouths, washing adorable clothes, driving kids to and from school and...
By Jasmine Badamo, MA Educational Counselor; Executive Function Tutor The ability to say “no” and honor your limits is a beautifully powerful skill that we can all benefit from. In a productivity-focused culture where today’s 40-hour work week is roughly equivalent to a 160-hour work week in 1950’s time (read more in Devon Price’s Laziness Does Not Exist), it’s easy...
By: Alissa Talamo, PhD Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Redshirting is a phrase that has traditionally been associated with college athletics, such as when coaches “redshirt” first-year athletes, providing younger athletes an additional year to develop skills and extend their playing eligibility. Academically, redshirting your child means choosing to delay kindergarten for a year even though your child is technically old enough...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services, NESCA Transition planning is a complex process centered around helping students, typically who receive special education services, to set goals for their postsecondary adult lives and to engage in learning, services, and experiences that will help them to ultimately reach those goals. Assessment is a critical aspect of this process, both...
By: Kristen Simon, M.Ed, Ed.S NESCA Transition Specialist; Psychoeducational Counselor Volunteering has many benefits for school aged students beginning to participate in transition planning. Many charities and organizations rely on volunteers to continue their services and reach more people. In general, volunteering is a great way to form community connections, achieve a sense of purpose, and boost confidence and self-esteem, all...
By: Cynthia Hess, PsyD Pediatric Neuropsychologist School is out for many, and it is no surprise to many that it was a challenging year for teachers, parents, and children. One word that captures the experience of the 2022-2023 school year is stress. Teachers were stressed as their students continued to contend with the academic and social deficits that resulted from...
By: Jessica Hanna MS, OTR/L Occupational Therapist, NESCA It’s summertime, and let’s face it, nobody wants to do chores. However, through learning about the benefits of chores in a previous NESCA blog post, we realized all that it can bring to the table to improve child development skills. Nevertheless, let’s step back. No one ever said chores must be painful...
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach, NESCA NESCA recently welcomed Pediatric Neuropsychologist Renee Cutiongco Folsom, Ph.D. to its clinical staff. Dr. Cutiongco Folsom brings a wealth of experiences and vast knowledge in assessing and diagnosing autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as well as conducting international evaluations. Take a moment to learn more about Dr. Cutiongco Folsom from my interview...
By: Kelley Challen, Ed.M., CAS Director of Transition Services; Transition Specialist, NESCA Over three-quarters of college students (76%) reported moderate to severe psychological distress during the 2022-2023 school year (National College Health Assessment, American College Health Association, Spring 2023). College students across the country are continuing to struggle with depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts this school year. My appointment...
By: Alissa Talamo, PhD Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Research demonstrates that children lose reading skills over the summer break. A 2020 study found that students in 3rd to 5th grades lost, on average, about 20 percent of their school-year gains in reading during the summer. So, how do we encourage a reluctant reader to read during the summer? There are several...
By: Lyndsay Wood, OTD, OTR/L NESCA Transition Specialist & Occupational Therapist Recently there has been a lot of talk in the media about artificial intelligence (AI) technology and the impact it will have on the world. With the recent development of ChatGPT and other AI technologies, the way we work, learn, and live may see some significant changes. While change...
By Dot Lucci, M.Ed., CAGS Director of Consultation and Psychoeducational Counseling Services, NESCA We often talk a lot about wanting our children to have good self-esteem. There’s nothing wrong with good self-esteem; it means that a child has a positive view of themselves and their worth. However, self-esteem is not enough. Life has its challenges, failure being one of them....
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach, NESCA Although NESCA Transition Specialist and Psychoeducational Counselor Kristen Simon, M.Ed, Ed.S, has been with NESCA for several months, we are thrilled to announce that she will be joining NESCA on a full-time basis early this fall. Take a few minutes to learn more about her past experience and how she shares...
By: Yvonne Asher, Ph.D. NESCA Pediatric Neuropsychologist One frequent question I have been asked by parents following a neuropsychological evaluation is, “Wouldn’t this process be helpful for everyone?” This tends to come up around the issue of disclosing results of an evaluation to children and teenagers and helping them better understand “how their brain works.” Many families with whom I...
By Miranda Milana, Psy.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist In today’s world with the toxicity and normalization of diet culture, it can be difficult to identify possible signs and symptoms of a more serious problem such as an eating disorder. At what point does counting calories cross over into anorexia? When does binge eating meet criteria for bulimia? Listed below are the criteria...
By: Lauren Halladay, Ph.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Neuropsychological testing can be confusing for adults to understand and explain, let alone children. Some of the most common questions that parents ask our neuropsychologists prior to their in-person appointments include: “How do I explain the evaluation to my child?” “How can I best prepare my child for what to expect when they...
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach I recently spoke with J. Michael Abrams, Ph.D., pediatric neuropsychologist practicing in NESCA’s Londonderry, New Hampshire office. Dr. Abrams joined NESCA last fall. Take a few minutes to learn more about him in today’s blog interview. How did you became interested in neuropsychology? Back in the mid-80s, I worked at McLean Hospital,...
By: Ferne Pinard, Ph.D. NESCA Pediatric Neuropsychologist Anxiety disorders are one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in childhood and adolescence. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 9.4% of children aged 3-17 years (approximately 5.8 million) were diagnosed with anxiety between 2016-2019. These numbers have increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some studies estimate that the...
By: Maggie Rodriguez, Psy.D. Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Recently I met with a family seeking a neuropsychological evaluation for their daughter. After talking about their reasons for pursuing testing, the parents asked me, “So…do you think this will help? Is this type of testing what our child needs?” It’s an important question and one I’m sure many families wonder about but...
By Jasmine Badamo, MA Educational Counselor; Executive Function Tutor I’ve often experienced the frustration of a student being given a task–whether it be at home or school–and struggling to complete it. Teachers and parents alike have said to me, “I just don’t understand why they can’t get it done. It’s a simple task.” I’d like to challenge the concept of...
By: Alissa Talamo, PhD Pediatric Neuropsychologist, NESCA Both an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and a 504 Plan can provide supports for students in grades K-12 who are struggling in school, to ensure the student is able to receive “free and appropriate public education (FAPE).” However, not all students who are struggling will qualify for these supports. An IEP provides a...
By: Jane Hauser Director of Marketing & Outreach This week, I had the pleasure of talking with Jasmine Badamo, MA, an Educational Counselor and Executive Function Tutor here at NESCA. While Jasmine has been with NESCA for quite a while on a per diem basis, she officially joined our team on a full-time basis within the past few months. Our...
