Children do their best on testing day when they understand what is happening, feel rested and are not worried about being judged. Preparation is mostly about honesty, calm and logistics.
What to say
Keep it simple and truthful. For a younger child: "You are going to meet someone whose job is to learn how kids think and learn. You will do some puzzles, answer some questions and play some games. Some parts will be easy and some will be tricky, and that is fine." For a teen: explain the actual question the family is trying to answer and that the evaluation is there to help, not to label. Teens do better when they are treated as partners in the process.
What to avoid
- Do not call it a "test" they can pass or fail, and do not ask them to "try to do well." The goal is an accurate picture of usual functioning.
- Do not coach or practice test-like tasks. It can distort results.
- Do not frame the day as a consequence of behavior or school trouble.
The night before and the morning of
- A normal bedtime and a real breakfast
- Glasses, hearing aids or any usual supports
- Medications as prescribed, unless the clinician has specifically discussed a change with you. Do not stop a medication on your own for testing day.
- Comfortable clothes and a snack for breaks
- Arriving a little early so the start is unhurried
What you can bring
Prior evaluations, report cards, teacher notes, IEP or 504 documents and relevant medical summaries help the clinician. See what to bring to a psychological evaluation.
About the fNIRS headband at Amlea. Children are often curious about it. You can describe it as a soft headband that uses a gentle light to see how the brain is working while they concentrate. It only measures. Nothing goes into the brain; there are no wires, gel or radiation. Most children find it interesting rather than worrying.
After the day
Praise effort, not performance, and let them decompress. Results take time to score and interpret. When feedback is scheduled, decide with the clinician how much of it your child or teen should hear directly; older teens often benefit from being part of the conversation.