What to do about neuropsychologist?

dstc_99

Well-Known Member
Ok so here is the deal. I am a military spouse. We are due to move this summer. Prior to a move the Dr does a physical and reviews your records. If you have anything from High Blood Pressure to an incurable form of cancer you get enrolled in a program called the Exceptional Family Member Program or EFMP. EFMP is used to ensure that a dependent is not sent to a military base that does not offer appropriate levels of care. Last time we did an EFMP update they screwed it up so badly we got our new assignment canceled. We had it fixed but they wouldnt re-look the assignment for another 6 months and we didn't have the time. So instead of being in Europe right now I am in a podunk town in KY.

Anyway......I am terrified to ask easy child's Dr to refer her for a neuropsychologist evaluation. If he updates her records to say that she needs some type of neuropsychologist care on a perpetual basis we will be screwed. (this happened last time so it can happen trust me) Our options would probably be to go to Walter Reed. Now dont get me wrong I want easy child to have the evaluation and know how to help her better. But!! She has some very minor issues that I just feel need to be fleshed out so that we can know how to help her. I sure as heck don't need her labeled as needing major mental health care!! Lord she would be classified almost like a Warrior Transition Unit with Soldiers who have been to war and lost limbs.

We looked into paying cash but the cheapest we found is 1320$ and we just do not have the money. Is that a normal price? Should I wait until after we move? Should I go ahead and do it?

I don't want her to continue to suffer just because the Dr's mess up the paperwork so often!
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
That is a normal price.

You have to decide. Looking at your signature, it sounds like your girls do have issues and the younger ones seems to have some serious ones. An eating disorder, if that's what you mean, is not at all light. Cutting isn't light. In the end it is your decision. A neuropsychologist merely diagnoses. He doesn't see you over and over again. But if your child has major mental health issues in my opinion it's probably best to be near a center than offers very good mental health and in a country that understands it. JMO :) Good luck!
 

dstc_99

Well-Known Member
The difficult child wont be going but the youngest will. The cutting only happened once about 6 months ago after a big fight with difficult child. The eating issue is mainly that she eats too much when she is bored or depressed its not anorexia or anything like that. She just gains weight which no girl likes. The biggest issue is with her anxiety but other than having issues at school with grades the anxiety is well under control. She suffers from seasonal depression, best we can guess, because during the winter she puts on weight and tends to not want to interact with people as much. We dont have major outbursts or meltdowns and other than the one time when she cut herself we have never had any concerns except with school work.

All in all she sees a therapist once every 3 weeks for an hour, takes Concerta for ADHD and has no other accomodations. We are simply hoping to add an accomodation at school for her to get assistance getting her work together and turned in and with math. She is a wonderful kid, the teachers love her, she has great friends, and she is very smart. The only issue she has is with turning things in and with Math where she struggles. Of course the teachers have placed her in the highest math class because she tests well but then they have no problem with letting her fail in the class and don't offer any suggestions or help. I have repeatedly asked in town/school about tutors and they don't seem to have any. (Podunk town)

With her only needs being twice a year medications checks and therapist every 3 weeks we can go anywhere. Even with school accomodations we can go anywhere. Problem is if some moron Dr here puts down she needs to see the neuropsychologist monthly then we are screwed. You and I know that kids don't see a neuropsychologist monthly but if the Dr writes that on the paper then attempting to apply common sense will not help.

Trust me we fought them for weeks last time because the dr filled the form out requesting weekly therapist appts for me. I was only going weekly for 3 weeks due to a stressful situation at home. Normally I went once a month or less, basically as needed. Of course by the time the fight was over and we won it didn't matter his error cost us the dream assignment we have wanted for 14 years.

Its not that I am worried about getting the perfect assignment, we already lost our one shot at that, I just hate to go through all that in order to get a legitimate diagnosis. Seriously how hard is it for the school to see she is failing and needs assistance. But without some form from a Dr they dont care and wont assist. It sucks this year and hurts her self esteem. I really dont want her to move to a new school and get lost in the shuffle again. She is 13 now and at that age where failing takes a real toll on them
 

InsaneCdn

Well-Known Member
See if psychiatrist knows of a PhD-level psychologist... someone who's good at testing, but still has the label of therapist. Know what I mean?? it doesn't raise red flags... but might still get her a fairly good assessment. Our best so far was a PhD-level psychologist.

SCHOOL should be doing the testing, too - she has a math problem. She really needs a detailed learning assessment, but... if you're in the boonies, they may mess that up too.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
I think ours were around $1800 but the school paid the deductible. Sorry I don't have experience with military issues.
LOL! That's a lie. I am NOT sorry because I would go nuts if I had that many imposed rules. But I understand what you are saying because we had three military families in our immediate family unit. I guess you have to be very careful what you put in writing..sigh. Sending good luck hugs. DDD
 

dstc_99

Well-Known Member
Thanks guys! Sometimes I wonder if I am overreacting to minor things but after having wrapped myself around a pole to make difficult child happy I don't want to let anything slip this time. I dont want her to slip through the cracks.

I am going to see her therapist (also my therapist) two weeks from now and I will see if he has any advice. They have a new girl working the front desk and I don't think she passes questions on very well.
 
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