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Assessment Services
What you’re seeing day to day may feel confusing, but a comprehensive neuropsychological, psychoeducational, or psychological assessment can bring clarity. By taking an in-depth look at how your child thinks, learns, and manages emotions, the evaluation helps you understand what’s driving their struggles and what supports will make the greatest difference.
With the right assessment, you can finally have them.
So you're searching for answers about your chilD...
- Social communication style
- Sensory and emotional regulation needs
- Overlap with ADHD, anxiety, or giftedness
- Masking/camouflaging
- PDA tendencies (high autonomy needs and demand avoidance)
Many children, especially girls and teens, use camouflaging strategies—copying peers, rehearsing responses, or working hard to “blend in.” This can make autism appear like anxiety or ADHD. The evaluation clarifies what’s underneath so you get accurate answers.
Why Autism Can Be Hard to Identify:
What TO Look For:
A comprehensive, neurodiversity-affirming autism assessment—completed by
Dr. MacArthur, an autism expert. Available for children ages 2 through 18.
What This Evaluation Covers:
Autism Assessment
A comprehensive ADHD assessment - evaluating attention, executive functioning, behavior regulation, and learning needs.
What This Evaluation Covers:
ADHD ASSESSMENT
- Inattention, distractibility, and working memory
- Hyperactivity and impulsivity
- Executive functioning skills (organization, planning, flexibility)
- Overlap with anxiety, autism, mood Learning, or giftedness
- How symptoms present differently at home vs. school
ADHD is easy to overlook, especially in bright, compliant, or anxious children. Many kids mask ADHD symptoms at school, only to have meltdowns or exhaustion at home. Rating scales alone often miss these patterns. A careful, thorough evaluation—with direct testing, behavioral observation, and input from multiple settings—clarifies whether ADHD is truly present.
Why adhd Can Be Missed:
What TO Look For:
- Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, separation anxiety, OCD, selective mutism
- Mood concerns, emotional reactivity, and irritability
- Impact on sleep, behavior, attention, and school performance
- How internalized symptoms may be hidden or misunderstood
Many anxious children appear “fine” at school but struggle internally. Anxiety often shows up as stomachaches, irritability, perfectionism, or meltdowns at home after holding it together all day. Because so much is internalized, others may not see the full picture until a thorough evaluation is completed.
Why These Concerns Can Be Missed:
What TO Look For:
A developmentally sensitive evaluation for anxiety, mood, behavior, and emotional regulation concerns
What This Evaluation Covers:
Anxiety & Mood Assessment
IQ testing alone and or evaluation for giftedness and twice-exceptional learners.
What This Evaluation Covers:
IQ Testing, Giftedness & Twice-Exceptional (2e)
- Cognitive abilities (IQ testing) and advanced reasoning
- Gifted characteristics, rapid learning, and deeper thinking
- Uneven skill development common in 2e learners
- Cognitive scores that some schools or programs require for admissions or placement
Whether you’re seeking IQ-only testing or a deeper understanding of your child’s learning profile, a clear picture matters—especially for 2e learners who may excel yet still face challenges. A comprehensive evaluation helps explain uneven patterns so both strengths and needs are recognized
Why this matters:
areas of focus:
- Dyslexia (reading accuracy, fluency, comprehension)
- Dysgraphia (writing, spelling, written expression)
- Dyscalculia (math understanding, fluency, problem-solving)
- Language processing and phonological awareness
- Executive functioning skills that impact learning
Many children work incredibly hard to keep up, yet feel discouraged or “not as capable” when school is unexpectedly difficult. Identifying the underlying reason for these struggles—rather than blaming effort or intelligence—provides clarity, relief, and a clear plan for support.
Why identifying learning challenges is important:
What TO Look For:
A comprehensive evaluation for reading, writing, and math-based learning differences
What This Evaluation Covers:
Learning Disability Assessment
An independent, objective evaluation to help determine eligibility for school accommodations and services.
What This Evaluation Covers:
Independent Educational Evaluations (IEE)
- Review of school records, IEPs, and previous assessments
- Cognitive, academic, attention, executive functioning, and social-emotional testing
- Classroom observation (when possible)
- Interviews with caregivers and teachers
- A clear, school-ready report and attendance at the IEP meeting
An IEE is a district-approved, district-funded assessment completed by Dr. MacArthur. Families request an IEE when they disagree with the school’s initial evaluation or eligibility decision and want a thorough, objective assessment from an outside expert to better understand their child’s learning, attention, social-emotional, or developmental needs. District approval is required before an IEE can begin.
Why Families Request an IEE:
What’s Included:
Many families have gained clarity and confidence through this process — and you can, too!
Receive clear recommendations on school communication, IEP/504 options, and what to prioritize at home and in the community
Get expert help understanding learning, behavioral, or emotional concerns and identifying the right supports
For families wanting deeper support, schedule an optional 1-hour parent consultation for more individualized guidance
Decide whether an evaluation is needed — or if a different next step makes more sense for your child
Start with a free 15-minute consultation to share your concerns and ask initial questions
Parent Guidance Consultation
- You’ve asked for help, but no one seems to truly understand your child.
- You're stuck in a cycle of guessing, Googling, and second-guessing what is going on.
- Your child holds it together at school, but falls apart at home—and no one else sees what you see.
- Your child is starting to ask questions—and wants to understand why they feel different.
- You’re overwhelmed by mixed messages and well-meaning advice that doesn’t actually help.
- You know your child is smart or capable, but their challenges are getting in the way—and you're not sure why.
This is for you if you are tired of feeling like...
Simplifying The Process
After our initial consult call, we’ll determine the type of assessment needed. Then we’ll schedule a caregiver interview to discuss your child’s strengths, challenges, and history. You’ll also complete relevant questionnaires. This helps me get to know your child and set the assessment up for success.
1. Caregiver Interview
I meet with your child to understand how they think, learn, and manage emotions. Depending on age and the questions we’re trying to answer, activities may include puzzles, memory tasks, attention challenges, academic skills, social-communication tasks, and child-friendly emotional measures. Everything is paced to help them feel comfortable while giving a clear picture of their strengths and what may be getting in the way.
2. Assessment
We meet to go over the results, including if there is a diagnosis, how your child's brain works best, and what might explain why certain things are hard. We go over specific recommendations tailored to your child for home, school, and the community, and you will get a full report.
3. Answers and Guidance
Finally understand what’s going on—including whether a diagnosis is present.
Use the assessment to advocate for school support like an IEP or 504 plan.
Walk away with concrete next steps—and a renewed sense of confidence.
Help your child understand themselves in a clear and hopeful way.
Receive a clear report outlining your child’s strengths and challenges.
Share findings with your child’s therapist to focus and personalize treatment.
After working together, you can expect to:
Get clarity, support, and a path forward for your child
— Parent of a child with dyslexia
"Dr. MacArthur made a confusing process so much easier. Thanks to her, my son is finally getting the reading help he needs at school."
My son was struggling at school until Dr. MacArthur stepped in!
My work centers on helping families understand their child more clearly through thoughtful, individualized assessments. Each evaluation is designed to highlight strengths, clarify challenges, and provide recommendations that are both practical and supportive.
I’m a clinical psychologist who specializes in understanding and diagnosing children and teens.
I’m Dr. MacArthur - your assessment specialist.
Take it from families I have worked with...
- Parent of a son with ADHD
“Our son had such a great time during the assessment and felt comfortable right away. He loved learning why focusing and sitting still can be hard for him, and it helped him understand himself better. He also couldn’t stop talking about how fun Dr. Sarah’s office was—the sensory toys, play breaks, and calm space made it feel easy and enjoyable.”
- Parent of a daughter who masks at school
“We felt truly seen and supported throughout the assessment process. The report was thorough, compassionate, and gave us clear direction for how to best support our daughter. The care and attention to detail were exceptional.”
