Parents and professionals connecting to facilitate care and enhance educational support.
Educational audiology is a subspecialty in the field of clinical audiology. Educational Audiologists deliver a full spectrum of hearing services to all children, particularly those in educational settings. Audiologists are trained to diagnose, manage and treat hearing and balance problems. Educational Audiologists are members of the school multidisciplinary team who facilitate listening, learning, and communication access via specialized assessments; monitor personal hearing instruments; recommend, fit and manage hearing assistance technology; provide and recommend support services and resources; and advocate on behalf of the students. Educational audiologists provide evidence for needed services and technology, emphasize access skills and supports, counsel children to promote personal responsibility and self-advocacy, maintain student performance levels, collaborate with private sector audiologists, help student transitions, and team with other school professions to work most effectively to facilitate student learning.
An educational therapist is a professional who combines educational and therapeutic approaches for evaluation, remediation, case management, and communication/advocacy on behalf of children, adolescents and adults with learning difficulties (e.g., difficulties related to Dyslexia, ADHD, executive functioning deficits). Educational therapy differs from tutoring and other remedial interventions in that it attends to psycho-educational and socio-emotional factors, which inform and support the achievement of academic goals. The Association of Educational therapists note, “while a tutor generally focuses on teaching specific subject matter, an educational therapist’s focus is broader. Educational therapists collaborate with all the significant people concerned with the student’s learning, and they focus not only on remediation but also on building self-awareness and underlying learning skills to help clients become more self-reliant, efficient learners.”
Source: Association of Educational Therapists -
Clinical Neuropsychologists are licensed psychologists who have specialized knowledge and training in clinical psychology and neuropsychology. They understand how the brain develops and they have in-depth knowledge of the applied science of brain-behavior relationships. They use this knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of patients across the lifespan who have developmental, neurological, medical, or psychiatric conditions.
A Clinical Neuropsychologist employs psychological and behavioral methods to evaluate patients’ cognitive and emotional strengths and weaknesses. They use this information, in conjunction with information provided by family members, educators and other healthcare providers, to identify and diagnose neurobehavioral disorders; understand how problems with the brain may relate to difficulties seen at school, home, or with peers; help match expectations to a child’s specific strengths and weaknesses; work with other professionals and teachers to develop the best treatment and educational plan for a child; and assist families and schools with implementing intervention strategies.
American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN) - https://theaacn.org
American Psychological Association – www.apa.org
California Board of Psychology - www.psychboard.ca.gov
The National Register of Health Service Psychologists –
The American Psychological Association defines a psychologist as a person with “a doctoral degree in psychology from an organized, sequential program in a regionally accredited university or professional school." In the United States, the doctoral degree is generally recognized and accepted as the education credential for license eligibility to practice independently as a clinical psychologist.
Clinical child and adolescent psychology is a specialty in professional psychology that develops and applies scientific knowledge to the delivery of psychological services to infants, toddlers, children and adolescents within their social context. Clinical child and adolescent psychologists study, assess and treat of a wide range of interrelated biological, psychological and social problems experienced by children and adolescents (e.g., emotional and developmental problems). They often provide ongoing therapy services aimed at helping a child and his or her parents address behavioral, emotional, and/or educational issues. Child Psychologists are not physicians, and cannot perform a physical examination or prescribe medication.
Speech Language Pathologists/Therapists are professionals who work with adults and children on all aspects of oral communication. They can help prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of challenges such as those involving: articulation/ phonological disorders, receptive & expressive language delays/disorders, auditory processing disorders, social communication challenges, fluency/stuttering Issues, & voice disorders. Speech/Language Pathologists work with adults and children with a wide range of diagnoses from those with minor challenges, to patients with more complex diagnoses, including but not limited to: autism, aphasia, apraxia, learning disabilities, and many others.
Developmental-Behavioral Pediatricians are physicians with training and expertise in the evaluation and care of children and adolescents with a number of conditions including: learning disorders; attention and behavioral disorders; oppositional-defiant behavior/disorders; conduct problems/disorders; depression; anxiety disorders; disorders of regulation, such as sleep disorders; developmental disabilities; delayed development in speech, language, motor skills; and thinking ability and other behavioral and developmental problems.
Source: Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
Pediatric Psychiatrists are physicians who practice in the diagnosis and the treatment of disorders of thinking, feeling and/or behavior affecting children, adolescents, and their families, and they are medical specialists that addresses needs for medication. A child and adolescent psychiatrist uses the knowledge of biological, psychological, and social factors while working with patients. A pediatric psychiatrist can perform consultations, conduct comprehensive diagnostic examinations and design and implement treatment plans that address presenting issues that affect the child or adolescent and family.