Understanding Childhood Neurodevelopment
Many children face challenges with:
- Physical development
- Speech
- Language and communication
- Learning
- Behaviour
- A combination of the above
The reasons behind these challenges can be numerous. Typically, the infant brain continues development from birth into middle and later childhood. However, an underlying injury to the brain, or a genetic issue, can present developmental difficulties.
Approximately one in every five-six children have neurodiversity. Early identification is vital; if their condition is understood early-on, appropriate treatments and interventions become available, paving the way to a happy and fulfilled childhood.
Dementech Neurosciences: Prioritising the Patient Journey
Here at Dementech, we follow the NICE (National Institute For Health and Care Excellence) guidance when it comes to determining a diagnosis. Identifying paediatric autism (as with paediatric ADHD, dyslexia, developmental coordination disorder or any other neurodiversity) requires rigorous assessments and specialist expertise. Detailed evaluation is extremely important; below, you’ll find an overview of our diagnostic pathway.
Neurodevelopmental Assessment
In a session of 60-120 minutes, our clinicians will observe and interact with your child in a supportive and nurturing environment. We’ll carefully evaluate communication skills, sensory processing, and social interactions to gain a comprehensive understanding of their developmental profile.
Academic Evaluation
As part of our diagnostic process, we work closely with schools to gather insights about your child’s educational journey. We review school reports, speak with teachers, and analyse educational assessments to gain an understanding of your child’s academic strengths and challenges.
Psychological Assessment
We’ll make further, psychological assessments into your child’s cognitive abilities, emotional wellbeing, and behavioural patterns. This is to gain a deeper understanding of your child’s psychological profile, enabling us to provide a more holistic and comprehensive diagnosis.
INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE
Support & Intervention Sessions
After arriving at a diagnosis via the above three steps, you’ll meet with a Dementech psychologist (in a session of approximately 30 minutes, every 2 months).
Support & Intervention Sessions are an important part of your child’s journey. They aim to:
- Provide a check-in on your child’s progress
- Evaluate the effectiveness of treatment
- Give you the opportunity to ask any questions
- Offer support in managing your child’s condition
- Establish next steps and ongoing treatment
Dementech: Neurodevelopmental Specialists
We offer comprehensive neuro-assessments for children, their families, and their environment. Our experts can provide an accurate diagnosis and help create a treatment and management strategy to help children with their home, school and social life. Some of the common neurodiversities children may experience include:
- Dyslexia
- Autism
- ADHD
- Developmental coordination disorder
Conversely, some common neurodevelopmental impairment diagnoses are:
- Cerebral palsy
- Genetic disorders (such as Down’s syndrome)
MEET OUR DOCTORS:
Dr. Rahul Bharat
Paediatric Neurologist. Consultant Paediatrician Lead & Paediatric Autism Specialist
Dr. Bharat works in partnership with Dementech as a consultant paediatrician neurologist. He possesses a unique specialism and expertise in neurodisabilities, including paediatric epilepsy and autism. A profound understanding of foundational paediatric neurodevelopment is at the core of his practice.
Dr. Bharat’s work includes personalised interaction with families and children, to inform diagnosis and evaluate an individual child’s unique difficulties, strengths and needs. This holistic, patient-centric approach to diagnosis and intervention is considered the most effective method of helping children meet their full potential.
In accordance with NICE guidance, before reaching a diagnosis, Dr. Bharat will carry out:
A neurodevelopmental assessment
An academic evaluation
Psychological assessments
“Effective treatment requires us to understand a child’s unique situation. ‘Universal’ methods aren’t effective: rather, we provide individualised treatments to help each and every child reach their full potential”
Having completed research and study in Calcutta, Kent, Yorkshire, London and Cambridge, Dr. Bharat is the founder of Geniuslane, an organisation helping families access early intervention for neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, and dyslexia. Dr. Bharat and his team have created an algorithm that generates a unique neurological profile for every child; this helps design wholly-individualised treatment programmes.
Dementech Neurosciences: Prioritising the Patient Journey
Paediatric Autism Assessment
Paediatric autism is a neurodevelopmental condition which affects approximately 1% of all children. Children often present signs of the condition at or after the age of 12 months, showing symptoms such as:
- Difficulty in listening
- Challenges maintaining attention
- Delays in vocalisation
- Appearing not to engage with their environment
- Being overly-focused on their own agenda
- Restrictive behaviour in activities such as sleeping or eating
Your consultation will include a specialist paediatric neurodevelopmental assessment. Based on this, a child may have further psychological assessments to complete a profile of their communication and learning challenges.
Book Your Child’s Assessment Today
Connect with the Dementech experts to help your child experience happiness, support and fulfilment in their formative years.
Children’s ADHD Assessment
ADHD is a type of neurodiversity, and children with the condition can often show behaviour that is:
- Impulsive
- Hyperactive or inattentive
- A mixture of the above
An accurate and informed diagnosis of ADHD should always include a neurodevelopmental assessment. This is the best way to develop strategies that help the child at home and at school, and establish whether medication is appropriate.
Like other neurodiversities, ADHD is best-managed with a holistic treatment that comprises:
- Genuine understanding
- Environmental modification
- A support network
- Education
- Management strategies
- Medication, if required
At Dementech Neurosciences, we provide comprehensive and expert ADHD assessments; contact us now to learn more and book your consultation.
Children’s Dyslexia Assessment
10% of the population are believed to experience dyslexia; despite this, the condition is often mismanaged.
When a child learns to read a word, they typically form a visualisation and associations in their brain, and will deconstruct the word into individual sounds - a process known as phonological awareness.
This can be challenging for a child with dyslexia. Though often capable with oral communication and expression, children with dyslexia may experience difficulties with:
- Reading tasks
- Writing tasks
This can affect their confidence and contribute to:
- Low self-esteem
- Low mood
- Difficulties with school assignments
It’s often the case that children with dyslexia do not receive the care they need at an early stage. At Dementech, we provide expert assessments for childhood dyslexia, helping children, families and carers understand and navigate the condition.
Developmental Coordination Disorder
When experiencing developmental coordination disorder, infants may have difficulty with tasks that require physical coordination such as:
- Crawling
- Walking
- Self-feeding
As children grow up, the condition could affect other activities, including things like:
- Riding a bike
- Playing ball games
- Using zips
- Handwriting
- Eating with a knife and fork
Clearly, this is a frustrating experience for a child. It can contribute to low self-esteem, especially if the underlying condition is not properly understood.
Early identification and guided understanding is key to our developmental coordination disorder assessments.
We provide diagnoses to the highest international standards, and assist in the creation of a tailored treatment plan to help children navigate the condition.
Contact Us To Schedule Your Private Paediatric Autism Assessment
If you’re concerned that your child is dealing with the effects of paediatric autism, or you’d like to learn more about the condition, don’t hesitate to contact the Dementech Neurosciences specialists.
Call Dementech Neurosciences:
Email us about booking an appointment:
Visit our private London
neurology clinic in
Wimpole Street:
Lister House
11 Wimpole street
W1G 9ST London
United Kingdom
Ask us a question or request more information:
Our team is on hand to answer any questions or concerns that you may have. Simply fill in the form below with your details, and we will get back to you very soon.
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