About the Neuropsychology department

The department was was established in 1990 to provide an inpatient and outpatient service to children and families. The service is provided by staff members of the Neuropsychology department, with additional support by academic staff of the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Unit (DCNU), based at the UCL Institute of Child Health (ICH).

Also based at ICH, is the UCL Centre for Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience (CDCN), an interdisciplinary, cross faculty and cross theme initiative that aims to enhance collaboration across disciplines and faculties, to promote translational research to benefit children and adolescents, and to create a world-leading training environment.

• Diagnostic evaluation for children and adolescents with brain disease or injury:
• Assessment of cognitive and behavioural status using neuropsychological tests.
• Recommendations for educational and behavioural support.
• Long-term follow-up of cognitive and behavioural outcomes.
• Neuropsychological interventions to support memory, learning, literacy, and attention disorders:Psychological interventions and family support for children and adolescents with tic disorders:Consultation for health and educational professionals regarding case management in the community:Medico-legal expert witness service:
• Providing memory aids, navigational aids and computerised assisted learning support for children and adolescents with developmental amnesia, or working memory problems.
• Liaising with schools and community services regarding implementation of interventions.
• Monitoring interventions and reviewing outcome based on evidence of effectiveness.
• Education and support about the impairments and needs of the affected young person.
• Liaison with multidisciplinary and community services.
• Recommendations on case management and referral pathways.
• Functional MRI assessment to identify lateralisation of motor, language and memory function.
• Neuropsychological assessment of children and adolescents with brain injury for inclusion as expert evidence in litigation.

There are a number of services that work collaboratively with the neuropsychology team such as:

• neurosurgery
• neurology
• neuroradiology
• neurophysiology
• endocrinology

The academic and clinical staff in the Neuropsychology department work collaboratively to offer a comprehensive service for children, adolescents and their families. The service is offered at a tertiary level and specialises in assessing children’s learning and behavioural difficulties associated with a neurological problem.

Children are usually referred for neuropsychological evaluation by a paediatrician, neurologist or neurosurgeon. We can only accept internal referrals made by clinicians within Great Ormond Street Hospital.

We assess systems dedicated to memory, language, attention, academic skills, and movement coordination in relation to the location and extent of brain injury, to provide diagnosis of the learning and behaviour problems and to provide prognosis of post-injury development.

A report of the assessment results and recommendations for support and/or intervention is sent to parents, carers, and other health and educational professionals. An important aspect of the team’s work is consultation with health and education professionals.