Is it normal that my kid can’t focus, loses everything, or falls apart after school? In this episode, Brooklyn child neuropsychologist Dr. Melanie Blair Thies (Dr. Mel) breaks down what a neuropsychologist actually does, what’s developmentally typical from toddler through early elementary, and when it’s time to stop waiting and get answers.
We cover:
- What a pediatric neuropsychologist does vs. a clinical psychologist
- What a neuropsychological evaluation looks like, from intake to testing to the feedback session
- Executive function explained: why one child keeps track of everything while another loses five hats in a week
- Attention span and school readiness: what’s normal for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners
- Reading and letter reversals: why it’s okay not to read when entering kindergarten
- The signs worth a closer look: skill regression, a widening gap with peers, and trouble across settings
- IEPs, 504 plans, and ICT classrooms, and how testing connects to school support
- Why kids behave differently at home vs. school, restraint collapse, and how to set up structure at home
- COVID kids: what the evidence says about development, speech, and socialization
- Who to talk to first: teachers, your pediatrician, and when to book a consult
Whether you’re a parent of a toddler, a preschooler headed to kindergarten, or an elementary schooler who’s struggling, this one is full of calm, practical reassurance. Kids are resilient, and the range of “normal” is much wider than social media makes it seem.
Find Dr. Mel at https://www.mbtpsych.com/
Instagram at @drmel.neuropsych
Email her at [email protected]
She offers neuropsychological assessments for kids and adults in Brooklyn, plus consultations if you’re just not sure where to start.
We’ll Sleep When We’re Dead is a motherhood podcast hosted by Sam and Lucy.