Preparation for your Cognitive Assessment

Thank you so much for engaging with CubbieChats where I’m going to post short passages of interesting information for parents who are either engaging CubbieHouse services or seeking information via our website. If you would like a topic of interest to be included, please feel free to send us a note through the web contact form. Content will come through intermittently in relation to parenting supports for 1–10-year-olds, neurodivergence, and everything assessments. Thank you for visiting us!

Today, I’m going to be talking about what happens when your child is booked in for a cognitive assessment. I often get asked, when should I tell my child about the assessment and what should I say? You know your child best, and you are the expert of all things related to your child. I have given some ideas below, however, do adapt these ideas in relation to what works best for your child and family.

For children who are attending a Wechsler Pre-Primary and Primary Scale of Intelligence assessment (WPPSI-IV) they will most likely be under the age of 6-6.5 years old. You may like to show your child Jackie’s picture on the website and let them know that Jackie is a psychologist which is a person who plays with children to understand how their brain learns best. That lots of children visit Jackie and do activities such as block building, looking at patterns, looking at pictures, some ink-daubing on pictures and some talking about different topics. For parents, the activities that your child will do with Jackie will support preparation for transitioning to school and information in relation to your child’s strengths, any areas of difference, and their cognitive potential including evaluation of giftedness or intellectual difficulties (if relevant).

For children who are attending a Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children assessment (WISC-V) they will be over the age of 6, and up to 16 years and 11 months old. Let them know that they will meet a lady called Jackie who is a psychologist, and that lots of children their age, even from their school, visit Jackie, or someone like Jackie, and do activities together such as block building, looking at patterns and pictures on an iPad, some pen and paper activities, and some talking. The activities done together will help Jackie and (Us) your parents find out how your brain learns best, about the strengths and superpowers of your brain, and any areas that you find difficult. Learning about your brain is amazing because it can tell us if you are a visual or verbal learner, or your strength is in problem solving, or processing. For parents, the activities that your child will do with Jackie will support your child in relation to how they learn best, help make school just that little bit easier, provide information in relation to your child’s strengths, any areas of difference, and their cognitive potential including evaluation of giftedness or intellectual difficulties (if relevant).

The WPPSI-IV assessment will take approximately 90 minutes, the WISC-V assessment will take between 75-90 minutes. I like to leave enough time so that it doesn’t feel rushed, and we can take short breaks if needed. For all ages, your child is welcome to bring in a water bottle, an allergy friendly snack if needed, and a comfort or fidget item if they would like. Please reassure your child there is no right or wrong, just to try their best and be themselves. There is no additional preparation needed. Most children find the assessment fun, or interesting at the least, it will not feel like school work. Ideally the assessment is best run with just Jackie and the child in the room, however this can be eased into on the day.