Pediatric Neuropsychologist Ernest J. Bordini, Ph.D.

Pediatric Neuropsychologist Ernest J. Bordini, Ph.D.

PEDIATRIC NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST

Ernest J. Bordini, Ph.D. , Licensed Psychologist

More than 30 years experience in providing pediatric neuropsychological evaluations to the Florida community and beyond.

Clinical Psychology Associates of North Central Florida

Main office Gainesville Florida: 2121 NW 40th Terr. Ste B, Gainesville, FL 32605
Ocala Office: 3620 NE 8th Place, Ste 3, Ocala FL 34470

Phone: (352) 336-2888 Fax: 352-377-1056

What is a pediatric neuropsychologist?

A pediatric neuropsychologist, in most states, must be a licensed psychologist. Neuropsychologists have doctoral degrees in clinical psychology or neuropsychology and may have minor or major concentration or subspecialty formal graduate edication, and have supervised training in neuropsychology and pediatric neuropsychology in doctoral, internship, and post-doctoral levels. Pediagric neuropsychologist's extensive training and supervised experience usually involves normal and abnormal brain anatomy, child development, study of brain diseases and dysfunction, and extensive training in using psychological tests to assess brain functioning.

Most psychology licensing boards require a year of internship, which may be pre-doctoral as well as one year of supervised residency. Modern definitions of a neuropsychologist now usually require graduate level training and supervision and two years of supervised post-doctoral experience.

A psychologist should not hold themselves out as a neuropsychologist with graduate training and supervision in the field. It is generally recognized that taking continuing education courses after licensure is not sufficient. In most states, calling an assessment a psychological assessment or neuropsychological assessment is limited to licensed psychologists. Sometimes unlicensed providers or individuals who may not be specifically trained as rigorously as neuropsychologists may call their assessment reports by other names.

Pediatric neuropsychology is a field of study involving the relationship of abilities, behavior, attention, language, visusopatial, memory, intelligence, motor, and sesnory perceptual abilities in children. Clinical, pediatric neuropsychology (neuropsych) involves the application of this field to the diagnostic assessment and clinical treatment of normal and abnormal child developmental, medical, psychiatric, and neurological conditions or problems. The field shares a knowledge base with other professions such as pediatric neurology.

A child or pediatric neuropsychologist may work or consult with pediatricians, pediatric specialists in behavioral neurology, developmental pediatricians, child psychiatrists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists.

Pediatric or child neuropsychologists have training and experience in applying neuropsychological assessment or treatment techniques to children. Since children mature, they are faced with varying age-specific challenges in terms of their academic and social development. Far more than a simple downward extension of adult neuropsychology, the pediatric neuropsychology involves an understanding of normal and abnormal child development and learning, developmental motor skills, and language disorders as well as diseases associated with children.

Pediatric or child neuropsychologists commonly assess children for problems such as Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), brain injuries, cerebral palsy, intellectual disorders, learning disorders such as dyslexia or math difficulties, and disorders of language. Evaluations aasses coordination difficulties, sensory-motor integration difficuoties, reasoning, impulse control, and executive functions and also examine mood, psychiatric, and psychosical disorders and contributors.

Evaluations are often more detailed than simply involving ability assessment and assumptions are made about brain-behavior relationships. Pediatric neuropsychological assessments are aso performed to evaluate neurological conditions such as effects of a tumor, anoxia, hydrocephalus, birth complications, or toxic exposures. Assessment can also involve neurocognitive or other neurodevelopmental difficulties associated with epilepsy, kidney disease, and other medical conditions. Problems may involve subtle or not so subtle deficits. Neuropsychologists trained in medical settings such as hospitals often have more supervised training and experience in assessing these and rarer conditions. Pediatric neuropsychological evaluatoins are also often performed for pre-surgical and post-surgical neurological interventions for control of epilepsy or brain tumors.

Since children's skills go through periods of rapid change, and they are faced with increasing cognitive and academic demands with each passing year, there is often a need to conduct periodic re-assessments. Some conditions may not impact until later years, such as when facing the multi-tasking demands of middle school, or the increased volume of work and writing demands of high school.

Results of pediatric or child neuropsychology assessments may be used to assist in diagnosis, to assist with educational placement or remediation, clinical treatment planning, rehabilitation, formulating accommodations, disability determinations, determing the effects of medication or surgery, or in rarer cases in matters involving criminal responsibility or criminal competency.

Applications of neuropsychological assessment to legal proceedings or determinations is termed forensic neuropsychology.

When choosing a clinic or neuropsychologist to conduct a neuropsychological evaluation on your child, it is wise to ensure the individual providing or supervising the services is a licensed psychologist with training involving both neuropsychological assessment and with children and adolescents.

Dr. Bordini earned his Ph.D. in Clincial and Health Psychology from the University of Florida with a minor in neuropsychology. He completed graduate training and had graduate supervised practicum experiences in child neuropsycholgy, adult neuropsychology, and medical psychology in clinics at Shands UF and North Florida Evaluation and Treatment Center. Dr. Bordini had internship rotations in psychiatry, mental health, additions, neurology and forensic psychology during his internship at the VAMC in Gainesville, and further experience in pediatric neuropsychological experience during his post-doctoral training and later pediatric neuropsychology practice at Grant Center Hospitla and Charter Hospital pediatic units or hospitals. Pediatric neuropsychology was a developing field then.

Dr. Bordini is one of few pediatric neuropsycholgists in Florida who has 30 years of experience. He was the first president of the Florida Psychological Association Neuropsychology Interest Division. He was awarded the Molly Harrower Award for diagnostic excellence.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Brain Injury in Children and Adolescents
Concussion and Head Injury Classifications
Neuropsychological Assessment
Forensic Neuropsychology
Child and Adolescent Services
Coping with Major Medical Illness
Articles and Archives

CALL: (352)-336-2888

E-MAIL info@cpancf.com

Visit our NeuropsychologyCentral metasite

Ernest J. Bordini, Ph.D., Executive Director

Licensed Psychologist

More than 30 years of experience in

Adult and Pediatric Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychology

Named a Distinguished Psychologist by the Florida Psychological Association

Link to Dr. Bordini's Staff Page on CPANCF.COM

Pediatric or child neuropsychology is a field of study involving the relationship of abilities, behaviors and mental skills (cognitive functions) in children. Clinical, pediatric or child neuropsychology (neuropsych) involves the application of this field to diagnostic assessment and clinical treatment of normal and abnormal child developmental, medical, psychiatric, and neurological conditions or problems. The field shares a knowledge base with other professions. A child or pediatric neuropsychologist may work with other pediatric specialists in behavioral neurology, developmental pediatrics, pediatric neurology, child psychiatry, pediatricians, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists.
Neuropsychologists are licensed as psychologists or in some states neuropsychologists. By definition, in almost all states, these individuals have doctoral degrees from accredited programs by the American Psychological Association usually in clinical psychology or neuropsychology. To be considered a neuropsychologist one must have formal graduate level training and clinically supervised experience in neuropsychology.
Most psychology licensing boards require a year of internship, which may be pre-doctoral as well as one year of supervised residency. Modern definitions of a neuropsychologist now usually require graduate level training and supervision and two years of supervised post-doctoral experience. A psychologist should not hold themselves out as a neuropsychologist with graduate training and supervision in the field. It is generally recognized that taking continuing education courses after licensure is not sufficient.
Neuropsychologists extensive training and supervised experience usually involves normal and abnormal brain anatomy, study of brain diseases and dysfunction, and extensive training in using psychological tests to assess brain functioning. In most states, calling an assessment a psychological assessment or neuropsychological assessment is limited to licensed psychologists. Sometimes unlicensed providers or individuals who may not be specifically trained as rigorously as neuropsychologists may call their assessment reports by other names.

Pediatric or child neuropsychologists have training and experience in applying neuropsychological assessment or treatment techniques to children. Since children mature, they are faced with varying age-specific challenges in terms of their academic and social development. Far more than a simple downward extension of adult neuropsychology, the pediatric neuropsychology involves an understanding of normal and abnormal child development and learning, developmental motor skills, and language disorders as well as diseases associated with children.
Pediatric or child neuropsychologists commonly assess children for attention problems such as Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning disorders such as dyslexia or math difficulties, disorders of language and/or coordination difficulties. Evaluations are often more detailed than simply involving ability assessment and assumptions are made about brain-behavior relationships. Evaluations may also involve assessments of Autism Spectrum Disorders which inclue autism, Asperger's Disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Assessments are aso performed to evaluate neurological conditions such as effects of a tumor, anoxia, birth complications, Cerebral Palsy, toxic exposures, head injuries or concussions. They may involve subtle or not so subtle deficits which may be involved with anemia, kidney disease or other metabolic diseases, and the effects of treatments or interventions which may impact on neurological or neuropsychological functions.
Since children's skills go through periods of rapid change, and they are faced with increasing cognitive and academic demands with each passing year, there is often a need to conduct periodic re-assessments. Some conditions may not impact until later years, such as when facing the multi-tasking demands of middle school, or the increased volume of work and writing demands of high school.
Results of pediatric or child neuropsychology assessments may be used to assist in diagnosis, to assist with educational placement or remediation, clinical treatment planning, rehabilitation, formulating accommodations, disability determinations, determing the effects of medication or surgery, or in rarer cases in matters involving criminal responsibility or criminal competency.
Applications of neuropsychological assessment to legal proceedings or determinations is termed forensic neuropsychology.
When choosing a clinic or neuropsychologist to conduct a neuropsychological evaluation on your child, it is wise to ensure the individual providing or supervising the services is a licensed psychologist with training involving both neuropsychological assessment and with children and adolescents.
Asking how many child or adolescent evaluations are typically completed in a year or month may help you determine the level of experience with children the neuropsychologist or clinic may have. Asking about the extent of supervised experience in child neuropsychology and where this training was obtained is advised along with obtaining information as to the overall number of years of experience. Asking your pediatrician or family doctor for a recommendation is wise.
If a neuropsychologist is or has practiced child neuropsychology or trained in a hospital setting this would generally suggest the individual's credentials have been reviewed and that they likely had training in more serious and rare conditions.
The more assessments a neuropsychologist or clinic conducts, the more likely that the neuropsychologist may use psychometricians or psychology assistants to assist with test administration and scoring. However, the neuropsychologist is always responsible for the interpretating the results and producing a report. The neuropsychologist will always maintain an active role in observing, interacting with, questioning,taking developmental, neuropsychological, and social history, and examining the child.
Providing Neuropsychological and Psychological Assessment for Children and Adolescents for 25 years.
Clinical Psychology Associates of North Central Florida

Ernest J. Bordini, Ph.D., Executive Director
Licensed Psychologist
Adult and Pediatric Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychology

Jennifer Evans, Psy.D., licensed psychologist.
Specializing in adult and late adolescent psychotherapy.

Regilda Romero, Ph.D.
Psychology Resident
Pediatric Neuropsychology

*residents and trainees are under supervision of Dr. Bordini
Concussions and Head Injury, ADHD, LD

Neuropsychological assessment is a proven method of evaluation which is sensitive to brain dysfunction even in cases where imaging studies such as CT scans or MRIs cannot find significant abnormality.
Pediatric Neuropsychological Assessment is often critical in assessing the abilities and impairments of childhood traumatic brain injury or children who have suffered anoxia or childhood brain tumors or cancer.
Executive functions which involve impulse control, attention, planning and organization are often problem areas in children with ADHD and those who suffer head injuries or anoxia.
Children who suffer Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, predominantly inattentive type often have slower processing speed and since they are not as disruptive, may not get diagnoses as often or as early as the mixed or hyperactive subtypes. Females have a higher incidence of inattentive type than males and males have a higher incidence of mixed and hyperactive types.
Nonverbal learning disability is also often missed since it is less obvious, but can be associated with math difficulties as well as social skill and peer relationship difficulties.
Pediatric and child neuropsychologists often assess memory and learning. Information from such evaluations are often helpful in determing how your child or adolescent learns best.
Memory assessment will usually examine verbal and nonverbal memory, learning rates, retention rates and examine for retrieval difficulties. Thorough assessment will examine working memory, rote memory, supraspan memory, and memory for material that is provided in context. This has diagnostic utility and is important in establishing what may help the child compensate for any difficulties.
Children who suffer early brain injuries or early neurological conditions are often more difficult to assess, since functions may not be organized in the same way as a normally developed adult. Furthermore some deficits associated with early injuries may not be apparent until the demands and changes of adolescence or even adulthood.

ADDITIONAL TOPICS
Brain Injury in Children and Adolescents
Concussion and Head Injury Classifications
Neuropsychological Assessment
Forensic Neuropsychology
Child and Adolescent Services
Coping with Major Medical Illness
Articles and Archives
Staff Vitas
Clinical Psychology E-Magazine
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Forums and Resources at ourNeuropsychologyCentral.com
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Parent interviews and questionnares are usually necessary, and in many cases school and medical records are reviewed. Teacher ratings are also frequently requested.
Children and adolescents often pose special challenges in assessment. While most children are familar with being tested due to their school experience, sometimes one or more sessions may be necessary to help establish rapport.
The examiner usually needs to provide more encouragement and breaks than may be necessary for adult patients.
Assessments may require a day or two, or in some cases a number of half-days. The often considerable expense must be weighed in the context of the professional time involved as well as the importance of ruling out other disorders or complicating factors which may be important in appropriate treatment planning.
Since the results of an assessment may impact medical care, rehabilitation planning, or in some cases placement or eligibility for benefits or services for months or years, it is easy to understand the importance of accurate and thorough assessment.
More information about our range of psychological and neuropsychological assessment and other services is available by clicking on the following link: More about neuropsychological assessment.
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