Neuropsychology
When a child's thinking or behavior is impacted by neurological or neurodevelopmental conditions, life can get pretty frustrating for the child, parents, caregivers, schools–even friends. The neuropsychology team here at Cook Children's is here to help. We work with your child and family to design an individualized plan that will help your child develop their abilities and both your child and family to cope with these challenges.
Our team of neuropsychologists is highly trained and skilled in evaluating the needs of children, teens and young adults. When a child's diagnosis may affect thinking, his or her doctor will refer the child to us. We assess multiple areas of your child's cognition, such as thought, experience and the senses, in order to determine if deficits exist and what is causing the problem. Evaluations provided by our team can help you, your pediatrician, teachers and therapists assist your child in the most effective ways, based on your child's strengths and weaknesses so the he or she can achieve their full potential.
Unlocking minds. Shaping futures.
The brain controls thinking, communicating, learning, emotions and behavior, as well as everything else the body does. There are all kinds of things that can affect a child's brain activity: illnesses, genetic disorders, injuries and certain medical treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Our job is to help everyone working with your child understand his or her unique challenges. By working together as a team, we can restore as much functionality as possible and get them on the road to a brighter future.
We do this by:
- Carefully evaluating your child's unique challenges and assets
- Provide strategies for you and others who work with your child
- Recommend additional services that could benefit your child
- Working closely with your neurology team to assure the best possible progress
What is a neuropsychologist?
A pediatric neuropsychologist is a licensed psychologist with expertise in how learning and behavior are connected to a child's brain structures and systems.
The pediatric neuropsychologist uses formal standardized tests of abilities such as memory and language skills to check how the brain is functioning. He or she interprets the results based on expectations of the child's age level and makes suggestions for the best care. Based upon your child's needs and diagnosis, our neuropsychologists may follow their cognitive development for several years.
We work closely with a team of neurologists and neurosurgeons to provide the best treatments and interventions that meet the individual needs of each child.
What is an evaluation?
If your child is referred to us, our team can assess your child, teen or a young adult with a primary diagnosis of a neurological disorder that is interfering with their brain's functioning. The results of our evaluation will help to determine your child's plan of care.
The tests selected for your child's evaluation will be based upon his or her diagnosis, symptoms and age and may include any or all of the following:
- Academic skills
- Attention span
- Behavioral and emotional adjustment
- Executive functioning (ability to focus, plan, organize, manage time, solve complex problems)
- Intellectual functioning
- Language skills
- Memory
- Nonverbal and visual spatial skills
- Processing speed
- Sensory functioning and motor skills
Who needs an evaluation?
If your child is diagnosed with a neurological disorder or injury and your doctor suspects that your child is struggling with cognitive or behavioral challenges that interfere with her or his performance or behavioral functioning, your child may be referred to us. Some of the common conditions we see are:
- Brain tumors
- Cerebral palsy
- Congenital defects
- Craniosyntosis
- Epilepsy
- Genetic disorders
- Juvenile Parkinson's
- Leukemia
- Movement disorders
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Neurofibromatosis
- Seizures
- Sickle cell disease
- Spina bifida
- Stroke
- Tourette syndrome
- Traumatic brain injury, including concussion
- Tuberous sclerosis
Working together
When it comes to your child, all of us here at Cook Children's are of one mind: helping your child have the best outcomes possible. For that reason, the neuropsychology team works with many different specialists in a wide variety of specialties and clinics. These may include, but are not limited to:
- Child Study Center
- Audiology
- Cochlear implant team
- Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
- Brain tumor clinic
- Stroke clinic
- Tourette syndrome clinic
- Neurorehabilitation
Of course, the most important part of our team is you. You know your child best and we want to ensure that you are part of the process every step of the way. We are also happy to work with your child's school and other caregivers to help make your child's treatment plan be as effective and successful as possible.
Prepare for an appointment
- Make sure that your child gets a good night's sleep.
- If your child wears glasses, please bring them with you.
- If your child has had previous school testing, or has related medical records, please bring these documents with you as well.
- Call us at 682-885-7450 if you have any questions. Our fax number is 682-885-3308.
Patient forms
Please print the new patient packet then fill out the forms and bring them with you to your first appointment. The packet also contains helpful information such as driving directions, insurance and billing information.
Resources for families, educators and caregivers
- Partners Resource Network – Empowering Parents through Education
- Tips for keeping the "Happy" in happy holidays
For some children, daily skills can be a real challenge. As a result, they may act out with difficult-to-manage behavior. So how can you help them change negative behaviors into positives? The following series offer tips, suggestions and exercises so you can help your child, or children in your care, learn and use new skills through practical information that reinforces positive behavior. Feel free to download them here:
- Part 1 – Teaching and Behavior Challenges: Succeeding at the basic skills for daily living
- Part 2 – Behavioral Strategies for Teaching: Ideas from Applied Behavior Analysis
- Part 3 – Strategies for Problem Behaviors: Ideas from Applied Behavior Analysis
Meet our team
At Cook Children's, neuropsychologists work closely with a team of neurologists and neurosurgeons to provide the best treatments and interventions that meet the individual needs of each child.
-
Marsha Gabriel Ph.D.
Senior Neuropsychologist -
Carla Morton, Ph.D.
Neuropsychologist -
Beth Colaluca Ph.D.
Neuropsychologist
Learn about our neuropsychologists:
Marsha Gabriel Ph.D.
Education: North Texas State University – Denton, TX (PhD in Clinical Psychology, APA-accredited program)
Georgia State University – Atlanta, GA (MEd in Community Counseling, Department of Counseling and Psychological Services)
Internship: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Oklahoma City, OK ( APA-accredited program)
Licensure: Texas – Licensed Psychologist (September, 1991 – present)
Publications and Presentations:
- Tourette Syndrome Co-Morbidities, Movement Disorders Symposium, 2011.
- Cook Children's Participant North American Pediatric Deep Brain Stimulation Task Force, 2009 & 2010.
- Concordance of Neuropsychological Testing with WADA, Epilepsy Symposium, August 2007.
- Marks, W., Hernandez, A. & Gabriel, M. Epilepsy: Habilitation and Rehabilitation. Seminars in Pediatric Neurology, 10, 151-158, 2003.
- Gabriel, M. Emotional Recovery Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Children and Teens. Presentation at the 19th annual Brain Injury Association of Texas, July, 2001.
Professional Associations:
- American Psychological Association
- Division 40--Neuropsychology
- National Academy of Neuropsychology
- Steering Committee of National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plan
- Editorial Board Intellectual Disability Diagnosis Journal
Research Trials:
- Childhood Absence Epilepsy, sponsored by National Institute of Neurological Disorders & Stroke.
- Inhaled Nitric Oxide in Preterm Infants Requiring Mechanical Ventilation, sponsored by United BioSource.
- Effectiveness of Levetiretam in epilepsy, sponsored by UCB Pharma, closed.
Carla Morton, Ph.D.
Education: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science – North Chicago, IL (Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology)
Internship: Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center – Chicago, IL (Neuropsychology track)
Fellowship: University of Illinois at Chicago – Chicago, IL (Pediatric neuropsychology track)
Licensure: Texas – Licensed Psychologist (December, 2010 – present)
Media:
- A stroke at birth – the first of a four-part series
- A stroke at birth – part two of a four-part series
- A stroke at birth – part three of a four-part series
- A stroke at birth – part four of a four-part series
Publications and Presentations:
- Morton, CH. "Cognitive, behavioral and emotional effects of concussion in children and adolescents." Grand Rounds presentation at Cook Children's Medical Center, September 2014.
- Kelfer H and Morton CH. "Concussion update." Presentation at Cook Children's SPORTS Symposium, June 2011.
- Morton CH. "Medical decision-making in children and adolescents: Cognitive, legal, and ethical considerations." Presentation at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center Ethics Grand Rounds, June 2009.
- Morton CH, Ruocco AC, Shanahan MA, Voss M, and Stanford LD. "Personality disorder assessment in the differential diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders in adults." Poster presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research, May 2009.
- Morton CH, Shanahan MA, Kopald B, Strickland JPM, and Stanford LD. "Relationship between parental report of executive functioning using the BRIEF and child performance on the TEA-Ch." Poster presented at the International Neuropsychological Society meeting, February 2009.
- Shanahan MA, Morton CH, Kopald B, Strickland JPM, and Stanford LD. The relationship between written expression and executive dysfunction in ADHD. Poster presented at the International Neuropsychological Society meeting, February 2009.
- Morton CH, Dorflinger J, and Stanford LD. "Use of the ADOS in differential diagnosis of language versus autism spectrum disorders." Poster presented at the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology meeting, June 2007.
- Morton CH. "Structural Characteristics of Cognition in Late Life and its Relationship to Functional Capacity." Published dissertation, 2007.
- Morton CH. "Structural Characteristics of Cognition in Late Life and its Relationship to Functional Capacity." Published dissertation, 2007.
- Morton CH, Woodard JL, Martin P, Miller LS and Poon L. "Are Men Super-Survivors?" Poster presented at the International Neuropsychological Society meeting, February 2007.
- Morton CH, Woodard JL, Martin P, Miller LS, Davey A, and Poon L. "Factor structure of the Severe Impairment Battery." Poster presented at the Midwest Neuropsychology Group meeting, May 2006.
- Morton CH, Woodard JL, Dux MC, and Pica AA. "Performance variations related to number of task trials on a computer-based neuropsychological measure." Poster presented at the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology meeting, June 2005.
- Dux MC, Woodard JL, Morton CH, and Pica AA. "Indexes of testing variability as measures of effortful performance in computer-based testing." Poster presented at American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology meeting, June 2005.
- Pica AA, Woodard JL and Morton CH. "The impact of executive functioning and information processing efficiency on semantic clustering during delayed and immediate recall trials of the HVLT-R." Poster presented at the International Neuropsychological Society meeting, February 2005.
- Morton CH, Woodard JL, Shannon KD and Gould F. "Practice effects and neuropsychological change: A comparison of Alzheimer's disease and healthy elderly." Paper presented at the International Neuropsychological Society meeting, February 2004.
- Zakowski SG, Ramati A, Morton CH, Johnson P, and Flanigan R. "Written emotional disclosure buffers the effects of social constraints on distress among cancer patients." Health Psychology 2004, 23: 555-563.
Professional Associations:
- American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology
- American Psychological Association
- International Neuropsychological Society
- Society of Clinical Neuropsychology
Beth Colaluca Ph.D.
Education: University of North Texas – Denton, TX (PhD – Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine)
Internship: UNT Health Sciences Center – Fort Worth, TX
Fellowship: Consulting & Clinical Neuropsychology – Irving, Texas
Licensure: Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (October, 1999 – present)
Publications and Presentations:
- Murray JC, Howrey RP, McGlothlin JC, Colaluca B. Precursor B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) Associated with Neurofibromatosis, Type 1 (NF1). Proc Annual Conference, Children's Tumor Foundation (Neurofibromatosis), Monterey, California, June 2013.
- Murray JC, McGlothlin, JC, Drummond-Borg, M, Colaluca B, Roberts RA, Braly EZ, Head HW, and Galliani CA. Pineoblastoma (Pineal Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumor (PNET)) Associated with Neurofibromatosis, Type 1 (NF1). Children's Tumor Foundation Annual CoNFerence – poster presentation, June 9-12, 2012.
- Colaluca B, and Bashore, L. "Neuropsychological late effects following treatment of childhood leukemia & lymphoma: Resources to evaluate and improve the educational and vocational experience for survivors." Lone Star Blood Cancer Conference Dallas, Texas, February 25, 2012.
- Colaluca, B. "Neuropsychological Aspects of Neurofibromatosis." Texas Neurofibromatosis Symposium. Cook Children's Medical Center, August 6, 2011.
- Colaluca, B. "Neuropsychological Outcome following Treatment of Childhood Brain Tumor." Evenings with Neuro-Oncology, Cook Children's Medical Center, June 7, 2011.
- Murray JC, McGlothlin JC, Drummond-Borg M, Colaluca B, Donahue DJ, Kelfer HM, Braly EZ, and Norman AA. Exudative Retinitis (Coats' Disease) in a Girl with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) and NF1 Associated Optic Pathway Glioma: A Rare Association and Clinical Management Conundrum. Children's Tumor Foundation Annual CoNFerence – poster presentation, June 11-14, 2011.
- Wolfe-Christensen C, Colaluca B, Austin R, Bailey L, Bashore L and Page MC. Efficacy of Cognitive Remediation for Attention Deficits due to Treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Brain Tumor in Children: A Pilot Study. The National Conference in Pediatric Psychology – poster presentation: April14-16, 2011.
- Murray JC, Drummond-Borg M, McGlothlin JC, Colaluca B, and Hahn C. Neurofibromatosis – Grand Rounds Panel Presentation, November 30, 2010.
- Harrell LM, Marks WA, Murray JC, Colaluca B, and Braly EZ. Duration of inpatient neurorehabilitation course and improvement in neurologic function for posterior fossa syndrome: Differences between benign and malignant tumors. 35th Annual Meeting of the Southern Pediatric Neurology Society, New Orleans, Louisiana – poster presentation. March 27, 2010.
- Harrell LM, Marks WA, Murray JC, Colaluca B and Braly EZ (2010). Duration of inpatient neurorehabilitation course and improvement in neurologic function for posterior fossa syndrome: Differences between benign and malignant tumors. 14th International Symposium on Pediatric Neurooncology, Vienna Austria – poster presentation. June 20-23, 2010.
- Colaluca B and Ensign J. Best Practices in Assessing and Intervening with Children with Chronic Illnesses. In D.C. Miller (Ed.) Best Practices in School Neuropsychology: Guidelines for Effective Practice, Assessment, and Evidence-Based Intervention. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2009.
- Colaluca, B. Neuropsychological Assessment of Children. Presentation for the Greater Texas Chapter National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Sheraton Fort Worth, May 23, 2009.
- Adams RC, and Colaluca B. Building Successful Bridges Program designed for patients with spina bifida Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. October 27, 2001.
- Colaluca B. "Pain Management in Arthritis." Arthritis Support Group – Texas Scottish Rite Hospital. April 28, 2001.
- Franks S. and Colaluca B. Psychosocial Issues in Later Life Inservice; Osteopathic Medical Center of Texas – Rehabilitation Unit. June 1, 1998.
- Hall JR, Colaluca B, and Guth J. Psychological and Neuropsychological Assessment: Making Sense of Multiple Sources of Data Presented to the Arrow Project. February 4, 1998.
- Dial JG, Rubino-Watkins M, Marek C, Colaluca B, and Dial C. Neuropsychological Diagnosis of Adults with Learning Disabilities; Validation of the Expanded McCarron-Dial System. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 14(1), 150. (1998).
- Dial JG, Colaluca B and Chan F. (1997) Validation of the Expanded McCarron-Dial System for Diagnosis of Neuropsychological Dysfunction in Adults. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 13(1), 70.
Professional Associations:
- National Academy of Neuropsychology
- International Neuropsychological Society
- American Psychological Association – Division 40 (Neuropsychology)
Research Trials:
- Colaluca B. A Study of Neurocognitive Functioning in Children Treated for ALL AALL06N1 – Enrollment ongoing
- Granger, M. Neuropsychological, Social, Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes in Children with Cancer. ALTE07C1 – Enrollment ongoing
- Colaluca, B. Academic Performance in Survivors of Pediatric Medulloblastoma. – Study closed
- Colaluca, B. Efficacy of Cognitive Remediation for Attention Deficits Secondary to Treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Brain Tumor in Children: A Pilot Study – Study closed
- Marks, WA. Functional Recovery from Posterior Fossa Syndrome: Comparison of Malignant versus Benign tumors: Retrospective Analysis. – Study closed
Licensed psychological associates:
-
Beth Peterson, M.S., Licensed Psychological Associates
Developmental specialists:
-
Karen Sutton M.S., Licensed Psychological Associates
We're here to help.
If your child has been diagnosed, you probably have lots of questions. We can help. If you would like to schedule an appointment, refer a patient or speak to our staff, please call our offices at 682-885-2500.