Neuropsychological Evaluation in St. Charles, IL: What It Is and What to Expect
A neuropsychological evaluation is a detailed look at how the brain is working in everyday life: attention, memory, learning, language, problem-solving and emotional functioning. It's often the right next step when something about thinking or learning doesn't add up and you want a clear explanation and a plan. Hesed Psychological Services provides neuropsychological evaluations for ages 6 through 90+ from our St. Charles office. We serve families from Wheaton, West Chicago, Naperville and across Kane and DuPage Counties. Our name, Hesed, means steadfast, covenant love, and we try to bring that same patient, committed care to every evaluation.
Who a neuropsychological evaluation can help
Hesed evaluates children (from age 6), teens, adults and older adults for concerns such as:
ADHD and executive-functioning difficulties
Autism spectrum questions
Learning difficulties and school planning
Memory changes and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussion
Epilepsy and stroke
Emotional or diagnostic questions that affect treatment
Medical-legal questions such as capacity, competency, return to work and disability
How it differs from psychological testing
Psychological testing usually focuses on emotions, personality and behavior. A neuropsychological evaluation adds detailed, standardized measures of brain-related skills like memory, attention, processing speed and language. The results are compared with people of the same age, which helps show not just whether there's a problem, but what kind it is and what might help.
What to expect: three meetings, finished within 6–8 weeks
Intake (about 1 hour, in person or by video). We review your concerns, history and records, and decide which questions the evaluation needs to answer.
Testing (3–8 hours, in person at our St. Charles office). You or your child will complete standardized tasks of attention, memory, language, reasoning, processing speed, academic skills and mood, with breaks.
Feedback (about 1 hour, in person or by video). We explain the results in plain language and talk through next steps, like school accommodations, therapy or coordination with your physician.
The whole process is finished within 6–8 weeks of your first contact. Intake and feedback can be held by video for clients in Illinois and, with certain clinicians, in PSYPACT jurisdictions. Testing is always in person.
Evaluations are led by Dr. Benjamin Pyykkonen, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and fellowship-trained clinical neuropsychologist. He completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at Rush University Medical Center and has 20 years of clinical experience. Because Hesed also offers counseling, recommendations can turn into care right here.
Common questions
What is a neuropsychological evaluation?
A neuropsychological evaluation uses standardized tests to measure thinking skills such as attention, memory, language, processing speed and problem-solving, along with mood. A psychologist trained in brain-behavior relationships then explains what the results mean and recommends next steps.
Who needs a neuropsychological evaluation?
It can help children, teens and adults with questions about ADHD, autism, learning difficulties, memory changes or dementia, brain injury, epilepsy or stroke. It can also help when emotional symptoms aren't improving as expected. Hesed evaluates ages 6 through 90+.
Where can I get a neuropsychological evaluation near Wheaton, Naperville or West Chicago?
Hesed Psychological Services provides neuropsychological evaluations at 2580 Foxfield Road, Suite 201, St. Charles, IL 60174. That's on the east side of St. Charles near Kirk Road and Route 64, convenient to Wheaton, West Chicago, Naperville and the rest of Kane and DuPage Counties.
How long does a neuropsychological evaluation take?
There are three meetings: a 1-hour intake, a 3–8 hour testing session and a 1-hour feedback session. The whole process is finished within 6–8 weeks of your first contact.
Does insurance cover neuropsychological testing?
Hesed is in-network for testing with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Optum, UnitedHealthcare, UMR, Aetna, Cigna and Medicare. Coverage and prior-authorization rules depend on your plan, so call (331) 707-4031, ext. 8, and we'll help you check.
Do I need a referral?
Hesed doesn't require a referral to schedule testing. Some insurance plans need a referral or prior authorization before they'll cover it, so check with your plan.
Can any part be done by video?
Yes. The intake and feedback sessions can be held by video. The testing session is in person at our St. Charles office.
You don't have to keep guessing. Fill out the Request an Appointment form below, or call (331) 707-4031, ext. 8, and our office manager will help you schedule an evaluation and check your benefits. All of our clinicians are currently accepting new clients.
Request an Appointment
Submit the inquiry form below to connect with our office manager (Joanna Wagoner) to set up a meeting for therapy or assessment.
