About Baseline Psychological Testing

The following information has been provided by the staff of the Department of Psychology of St. Louis Children's Hospital. If you have further questions, you should call the Psychology Department at 314-454-6069.

WHEN IT'S TIME FOR BASELINE PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING

What is baseline testing?

• A baseline is the measurement of a characteristic at one point in time for comparison to later measurements.
• A baseline followed by repeated measurement demonstrates the effect of some action. For example, when people go on diets, they weigh themselves at the start, and then regularly during the diet to measure the diet's effect on weight.

Why does my child need baseline testing?
Children are in the process of developing.

• Early in life, basic skills emerge, such as sitting, standing, walking, talking, and toilet training.
• During preschool years, a child becomes more social, using language and motor skills to interact and play with others.
• In the school years, basic skills expand and are refined. This development is seen in the learning of school information, improvement in memory capacity, and gaining of organizational skills to support the child's increasing independence in work.

Sometimes medical treatment affects development.

• Some medical problems and treatments for medical problems may change a child's rate of development. There may be a risk of slowing development or a chance of improving the rate of development.
• Risk refers to how likely it is that something might happen. It does not mean that the event will happen.
• Your doctor will refer your child for baseline testing when your child's illness or treatment carries a risk of slowing development rate or a chance of improving it.

What kinds of tests will my child be given?

Baseline testing for your child will involve the skills that are expected to show change. This may include:

• To your child, the tests will seem like activities that they do in school. None of the tests hurt. You can reassure your child that there are no "shots" involved.

What can I expect when my child gets baseline testing?

• The tests for your child's baseline battery are chosen based on your child's age, medical condition and planned treatment.
• The psychologist will review this plan with you on the day of testing.
• Baseline testing tells you where your child's skills are at the time of testing compared to other children of the same age.
• Once testing is finished, results will be discussed with you. o You and your child's physician will receive a written report by mail.
• You can decide if you want to share the report with anyone else who is involved with your child (e.g. school, day care providers).

What happens next?

• The testing needs to be repeated in order to measure the rate of continued development.
• The psychologist and your child's physician will select the time interval that is right for your child. This could be as short as a few months or as long as a few years.

A word about waiting:
Every parent wants immediate information when the risk of problems or chance for improvement occurs. We understand this need. The psychologist may be able to provide you with a list of skills that you can watch to know how your child is doing. The psychologist may also give you a list of behaviors that could indicate a possible problem. You will be given the psychologist's phone number so that you can contact him/her if you have concerns between scheduled testing sessions.

How do I schedule baseline testing?

• Your physician will send a referral to the Psychology Department. This referral informs the psychology staff of your child's needs so that they can put together the right test battery for your child.
• You will then need to call the Psychology Department (314-454-6069) to schedule an appointment. Please have your child's Social Security Number and insurance information available when you make that call.
  

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