Understanding Your Child Starts With the Right Evaluation
When something about your child’s learning, communication, attention, emotions, or behavior does not seem quite right, it can be difficult to know what to do next. Perhaps a teacher or pediatrician has raised a concern, or you have noticed differences at home. You may be wondering whether your child has autism, ADHD, a learning disability, anxiety, or something else entirely.
A comprehensive psychological evaluation can help turn those questions into a clearer picture. Dr. Shelley McDermott works with families to understand each child’s individual strengths and challenges, how they think and learn, and what may be affecting their experience at home or school. When a diagnosis applies, the evaluation can identify it and provide practical, individualized recommendations.
Seeking an evaluation does not mean deciding in advance that your child has a particular diagnosis. The goal is not simply to attach a label—it is to understand your child more fully and give your family a useful path forward.
Comprehensive Evaluation Services
Every child has a unique pattern of strengths, challenges, and developmental needs. Dr. McDermott provides individualized psychological and psychoeducational evaluations designed to answer families’ questions and guide meaningful next steps.
Not sure which type of evaluation your child needs? You do not need to know before reaching out. Dr. McDermott can help identify the questions that should be addressed and determine which evaluation may be appropriate.
Autism Evaluations
You may be wondering why your child communicates, plays, learns, or interacts differently than expected. Perhaps your child has difficulty with changes, becomes overwhelmed in certain environments, has strong or highly focused interests, or seems to experience social situations differently. A teacher, pediatrician, or therapist may have suggested autism—or you may simply feel that something deserves a closer look. An autism evaluation can help you understand what may be behind these differences.
Dr. McDermott considers your child’s development, communication, social interaction, behavior, emotions, thinking and learning skills, and ability to manage everyday activities. The goal is to determine whether an autism diagnosis fits, consider other possible explanations, and give your family clear, practical recommendations for what to do next.
ADHD Evaluations
Difficulties with attention do not always look the same from one child to another. A child may struggle to stay focused, follow directions, complete assignments, keep track of belongings, manage impulses, or regulate emotions. These challenges may become apparent at home, at school, or when expectations and responsibilities begin to increase.
Dr. McDermott explores attention, impulsivity, executive functioning, behavior, and emotional well-being across home and school settings. Because attention difficulties can have several possible causes, the evaluation considers the whole child rather than assessing symptoms in isolation. The goal is to determine whether an ADHD diagnosis fits, consider other possible explanations, and provide practical recommendations for moving forward.
Psychoeducational Evaluations
When a child continues to struggle with reading, writing, math, or other schoolwork despite working hard and receiving support, it can be difficult to understand why. Academic performance may be inconsistent, homework may take much longer than expected, or a child may understand material but have trouble demonstrating what they know.
A psychoeducational evaluation examines cognitive abilities, academic skills, and the processes involved in learning. It can help identify learning disabilities, explain persistent academic difficulties, and clarify a child’s individual strengths and needs. The findings provide practical recommendations for instruction, intervention, educational support, and accommodations when appropriate.
Dyslexia Risk Evaluations
Early signs of reading difficulty are not always easy to recognize. A young child may have trouble learning letter names and sounds, rhyming words, identifying the sounds within words, or developing early reading skills. These difficulties do not necessarily mean that a child has dyslexia, but they may indicate that a closer look would be helpful.
Dyslexia risk evaluations are designed for preschool and early elementary-age children. The evaluation examines language development, phonological processing, letter knowledge, and emerging reading skills to determine whether a child may be at increased risk for dyslexia or other reading difficulties. Early identification can help families and educators provide targeted support during an important stage of reading development.
Mental Health Diagnostic Evaluations
Changes in a child’s mood, behavior, relationships, or ability to manage everyday life can be difficult for families to interpret. A child may experience persistent worry, sadness, irritability, intense emotions, withdrawal, or behavioral changes that interfere with life at home, at school, or with friends.
A diagnostic evaluation can help clarify what the child is experiencing and what kind of support may be helpful. Through conversations, questionnaires, and a careful review of the child’s history and current functioning, the evaluation develops a fuller picture of the concerns affecting the child. The goal is to determine whether a mental health diagnosis applies, identify factors that may be contributing, and provide individualized recommendations for treatment, school support, and next steps.
Specialized Expertise With Greater Access
Dr. Shelley McDermott is a licensed psychologist and doctoral-level Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) with more than a decade of experience working with children, adolescents, and families.
She earned her PhD in School Psychology from the University of Oregon and completed her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship through Kennedy Krieger Institute and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. McDermott currently practices at Kennedy Krieger Institute while also seeing families through her independent Baltimore practice.
Families seeking evaluations through large medical institutions may encounter lengthy waitlists before their child can be seen. McDermott Psychological offers access to an experienced child psychologist with considerably greater appointment availability, allowing families to pursue answers and recommendations sooner.
Learn More About Dr. McDermott →
McDermott Psychological, LLC is an independent private practice and is not affiliated with Kennedy Krieger Institute or the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
A Comprehensive, Child-Centered Approach
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Specialized expertise: More than a decade of experience evaluating autism, ADHD, learning differences, behavioral concerns, and child development.
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Individualized evaluations: The assessment process is tailored to your child’s age, developmental history, specific concerns, and the questions your family hopes to answer.
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A whole-child perspective: Developmental, cognitive, academic, social, emotional, and behavioral factors are considered together—not as isolated symptoms.
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Practical recommendations: Families receive clear, individualized guidance that can inform support at home, at school, and in collaboration with other providers.
The goal is not simply to assign a diagnosis. It is to help you understand your child more fully and make informed decisions about what comes next.
What to Expect From an Evaluation
Every evaluation is tailored to the child and the questions the family hopes to answer. Although the specific activities and assessment tools will vary, the process generally includes three stages.
1. Initial Parent Meeting
The process begins with a telehealth meeting with Dr. McDermott. You will discuss your child’s developmental, medical, educational, social, emotional, and behavioral history, along with your current concerns and what you hope to learn from the evaluation. Dr. McDermott will explain the recommended assessment process and answer your questions before the evaluation is scheduled.
2. Individualized In-Person Assessment
Your child will participate in an individualized, in-person assessment at Dr. McDermott’s office at The Rotunda in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood, conveniently located near the Jones Falls Expressway (I-83). The activities and standardized assessment tools used will depend on your child’s age, individual needs, and the questions being explored. With your permission, Dr. McDermott may also review relevant records and gather information from teachers, therapists, or other professionals who know your child.
3. Feedback and Recommendations
After the assessment is complete, Dr. McDermott will meet with you to explain the findings, discuss whether any diagnoses apply, answer your questions, and recommend appropriate next steps. Families receive a written report describing the evaluation results and providing individualized recommendations for home, school, treatment, and other services.
The result is more than a test score or diagnostic label. It is a clearer understanding of your child and a practical plan for moving forward.
Fees and Insurance Reimbursement
Evaluation fees vary based on the type of evaluation and the child’s age. Current fees generally range from $1,800 to $3,200:
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Autism evaluations: $1,800–$3,200
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ADHD evaluations: $1,800–$3,200
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Psychoeducational evaluations: $2,000–$2,700
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Dyslexia risk evaluations: $1,800
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Mental health diagnostic evaluations: $1,800--$3,000
Before scheduling, Dr. McDermott will explain the recommended evaluation process, what it will include, and the exact fee. Evaluation services include an initial telehealth meeting, individualized in-person assessment, review of relevant records, consultation with educators or other healthcare providers when appropriate, a feedback meeting, and a written report with personalized recommendations.
McDermott Psychological is an out-of-network provider and does not bill insurance directly. After full payment, families receive a detailed superbill containing the information needed to request reimbursement from their insurance company. Reimbursement depends on the individual health plan and cannot be guaranteed.
Not sure what to ask your insurance company? After consultation, Dr. McDermott can provide a straightforward call guide covering questions about psychological testing benefits, deductibles, reimbursement rates, authorization requirements, and required documentation.
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Child and Adolescent Evaluations in Baltimore
McDermott Psychological provides private psychological and psychoeducational evaluations for children and adolescents throughout Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and surrounding Maryland communities.
Initial parent meetings are conducted through telehealth. Assessment appointments with children and adolescents take place in person at Dr. McDermott’s office at The Rotunda in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood, conveniently located near the Jones Falls Expressway (I-83).
McDermott Psychological, LLC
The Rotunda
711 West 40th Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21211
Currently Accepting New Evaluation Clients
McDermott Psychological is currently welcoming families seeking psychological and psychoeducational evaluations for children and adolescents in Baltimore. Depending on your child’s needs and current appointment availability, the evaluation process may be able to begin soon after your initial inquiry.
Submit an evaluation request to tell Dr. McDermott about your concerns and learn about current availability and possible next steps.
Reaching out does not commit your family to scheduling an evaluation.