San Diego BrainWorks

Welcome to San Diego BrainWorks Pediatric Development Center

 

Our Pediatric Development Center is a multi-disciplinary  and comprehensive program offering neuropsychological, medical (including neurological, psychiatric, psychopharmacological), behavioral, educational therapy, speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, nutritional consultation, and educational advocacy services in San Diego. We are all located in one office location and work together as a team to best meet the needs of your child and your family.

 

San Diego BrainWorks Pediatric Development Center offers evaluative and treatment services to children presenting with a variety of developmental challenges. These include Autism and Autism Spectrum disorders, Learning Disorders and Developmental Disabilities, ADD/ADHD, Psychiatric Disorders, and neurological injuries and disorders (such as seizure disorder, traumatic brain injuries, metabolic disorders, and brain tumors).

 

The mission of the PDC is to provide high quality clinical services to clients and their families and to educate the community in the identification and management of learning and developmental disorders, assessments and services in San Diego.

 

In addition to direct assessment, all clinicians at PCD collaborate with families for ongoing care. A family might choose to bring the clinician into the special education process by inviting them to observe the child in school or to participate in a team meeting. They may also want the clinician to consult with other professionals involved in the care of the child: teachers, therapists, advocates, and health care professionals.

 

We are proud to offer the following services:

• Neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental assessment

• Psychopharmacologic consultation

• Genetic testing and consultation

• Medical Services

• Behavioral assessment and Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)

• Educational assessment and program evaluation

• Executive functioning coaching

• Academic tutoring

• Standardized test preparation

• Speech-language assessment and therapy

• Consultation to teachers, therapists, attorneys

• Classroom observations

• Assistive Technology Evaluations

• Occupational Therapy

• Nutritional Consultation

 

ADHD, Learning Disability, and Autism Evaluations for Children, Adolescents, and Adults

 

ADHD Evaluations

 

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by symptoms of inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity that significantly impact a person's ability to function. Children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD may experience a variety of difficulties in their everyday lives due to the symptoms of the disorder. Common symptoms of ADHD include procrastination, poor time management, restlessness, forgetfulness, distractibility, and disorganization.  As a result of these symptoms, individuals with ADHD might experience a number of problems that interfere with daily life, such as low self-esteem, emotional problems, interpersonal difficulties, injuries, and trouble at school, work, or home. 

 

At the ADHD Program at San Diego BrainWorks we are dedicated to providing evaluation and treatment services based upon the most up to date scientific research. We develop a personalized treatment plan to meet the specific needs of each client using services such as assessment, psychotherapy, and cognitive remediation. We provide comprehensive evaluation services designed to establish whether a client has ADHD. We also assess for other clinically relevant problems, such as depression, anxiety, learning disorders, drug or alcohol abuse, etc. This information is used to help inform treatment, guide the development of compensatory strategies, and establish other recommendations such as accommodations in academic or work settings.

 

Neuropsychological evaluation provides a detailed assessment of an individual's cognitive functioning in domains such as memory, attention, and executive functions (e.g., impulse control, problem solving and organization). They are used to identify cognitive strengths and weaknesses, develop individually tailored recommendations for treatment, and help identify alternate etiologies for one's reported problems (if present).

 

Medications are often helpful in alleviating some of the core symptoms of ADHD.  However, many of the functional impairments such as disorganization, procrastination, poor time management, or poor working memory persist.  San Diego BrainWorks seeks to offer a variety of interventions, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness Based Therapy, Cognitive Remediation, Computerized Cognitive Remediation (CogMed), Compensatory Skills Training, and Executive Function Coaching to help our clients function at their very highest capacity. Please refer to the treatment services page for additional information.

 

Learning Disability Evaluations

 

Learning disabilities are relatively common. Individuals with learning disabilities are often exceptionally bright.  However, their learning difficulties can significantly interfere with successful academic, occupational, and social functioning.  Learning disabilities include problems with reading (dyslexia), writing (dysgraphia), or math (dyscalculia). These difficulties are often identified early in one’s academic career.  However, those with subtle learning problems or those who have been able to effectively minimize their deficits may go undiagnosed for sometime.

 

At San Diego BrainWorks, we offer comprehensive evaluations that often include a combination of psychoeducational and neuropsychological measures to adequately document disability, provide support for accommodations, and identify how you best learn. We will work collaboratively with your family and school to develop and implement an individualized treatment program that is right for you.  For older adolescents and adults, we can also help to identify the presence of a disability that might qualify for accommodations when taking certain examinations, such as the SAT, ACT, GRE, LSAT, or MCAT.

 

Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluations

 

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a diagnostic category used to describe children who show impairment in social communication and interaction, as well as restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities.  Children with ASD may vary greatly in their symptom presentation and level of disability. Some children are mildly impaired by their symptoms, while others are severely disabled. At all levels, autism can severely interfere with a child's ability to develop relationships and to function effectively within their environment.

 

San Diego BrainWorks provides comprehensive evaluations by clinicians who are trained to administer the gold standard of diagnostic tools. These evaluations can help to clarify the diagnostic picture and inform treatment. We also provide families with specific recommendations, which might include behavior therapy, parent training, educational placement, medical intervention, medication treatment, speech-language therapy, or occupational therapy.  We work directly with a number of providers who offer such services, and we will help families get set up with the appropriate interventions. Our goal is to alleviate the burden placed on children and their families.