The Bylund Clinic

The Bylund Clinic The Bylund Clinic provides neuroeducational testing, educational therapy, and mental health services.

We now have offices in Sunnyvale, Walnut Creek, and Brentwood and are accepting new clients. The Bylund Clinic provides psycho-educational and neuropsychological assessment and intervention services to support children and youth with learning differences.

In episode 16 of The Bylund Clinic Podcast, we sit down with Anya Ashouri, M.S., CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist ...
05/01/2026

In episode 16 of The Bylund Clinic Podcast, we sit down with Anya Ashouri, M.S., CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist specializing in assistive technology (AT) and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

This conversation takes a practical, grounded look at how assistive technology is evaluated and implemented across school settings. We break down what AT really means, from low-tech supports to more advanced tools, and who may benefit across different learning profiles.

Anya also highlights a critical distinction that is often misunderstood: assistive technology supports access to learning and communication, but it does not replace instruction or skill development. We walk through how comprehensive AT assessments are conducted and what factors contribute to effective implementation.

The episode also explores:

• Common misconceptions about assistive technology

• Best practices for school-based implementation

• Research on outcomes across reading, writing, math, attention, and communication

• The growing role of artificial intelligence in AT

• Systemic barriers such as training, funding, and capacity

This episode is designed to help parents and professionals build a stronger foundation for understanding how assistive technology can support access, participation, and independence.

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5VRLMX1l0l6JXzvRIC2BuX

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment, diagnosis, or therapy.

If your child has anxiety or OCD, you’ve probably been offered school accommodations—extra time, breaks, less pressure t...
04/24/2026

If your child has anxiety or OCD, you’ve probably been offered school accommodations—extra time, breaks, less pressure to participate.

These supports can be helpful.

But here’s what most parents aren’t told:

Accommodations alone are not evidence-based treatment for anxiety.

In fact, when they become the main strategy, they can sometimes make anxiety worse over time by reinforcing avoidance.

That doesn’t mean accommodations are bad.
They’re important:
• During flare-ups
• While your child is building skills
• As short-term support

But they’re not meant to replace treatment.

If you’re noticing things like:
• More missed class time
• Increasing school avoidance
• Falling behind academically
• Anxiety spreading to more areas

…it may be time to look beyond accommodations.

That could mean:
• A comprehensive evaluation (IEE or private eval)
• Evidence-based therapy (CBT/ERP)
• Better coordination between school and clinical care

Your child doesn’t just need things to feel easier in the moment—
they need the tools to handle hard things over time.

That’s what actually leads to progress.

We’ve been seeing a consistent pattern across many of the Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) we conduct:A narrow...
03/20/2026

We’ve been seeing a consistent pattern across many of the Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs) we conduct:

A narrow focus on *one* aspect of a child’s profile—while other meaningful layers go unassessed.

For example, we often work with students who have been found eligible for Autism year after year. While that classification may absolutely be appropriate, the evaluation process has not always explored whether ADHD, learning disabilities, or anxiety are also present.

Similarly, we see students with Specific Learning Disabilities who are described as hardworking, compliant, and “doing their best”—but have never been assessed for internalizing conditions. In many of these cases, these students may be masking significant anxiety or distress related to their learning challenges.

This is what diagnostic overshadowing can look like in practice.

When one diagnosis becomes the primary lens, it can unintentionally limit the scope of assessment and case conceptualization. The result is that co-occurring conditions—each with their own intervention needs—may be missed.

This matters because intervention planning depends on a *full* understanding of the child.

A student with dyslexia may also need support for anxiety.
A student with autism may also need intervention targeting attention or executive functioning.
A student who appears “well-behaved” may be working incredibly hard to hold things together internally.

When these layers are not identified, they are not addressed.

If your child’s evaluation feels incomplete—or if the recommendations don’t fully explain what you’re seeing day-to-day—it’s reasonable to ask whether additional areas should have been assessed.

In those cases, families can request an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) or pursue a comprehensive private assessment to ensure a more complete understanding of their child’s needs.

We were honored to be invited to present at the John Muir / Stanford Health Education Day for MDUSD school nurses yester...
03/17/2026

We were honored to be invited to present at the John Muir / Stanford Health Education Day for MDUSD school nurses yesterday. We appreciated the deep interest and engagement in learning more about supporting healthy, balanced screen use in youth.

School nurses play a critical role in supporting students—not just medically, but across learning, behavior, and overall well-being. It was a privilege to spend time with a group so deeply committed to student care.

We appreciated the opportunity to share insights and collaborate around how multidisciplinary teams can better support students across both health and educational settings.

✨ We’re excited to share an update from The Bylund Clinic.Over the past several years, our practice has grown as more fa...
03/13/2026

✨ We’re excited to share an update from The Bylund Clinic.

Over the past several years, our practice has grown as more families have reached out for thoughtful, comprehensive assessments to better understand their children’s learning, development, and support needs.

As our work has expanded, we’ve also found that families often come to us with two different types of questions:

• Some families need evaluations specifically to support special education planning, IEP decision-making, and educational advocacy.

• Others are seeking comprehensive clinical neuropsychological evaluations to better understand diagnoses such as ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, and related developmental differences.

To better serve these different needs, our practice is expanding into two closely connected divisions:

The Bylund Clinic
Educational Neuropsychology for Special Education

Focused on Independent Educational Evaluations (IEEs), school-based assessments, and helping families understand how a child learns in the classroom.

NeuroCal
Clinical Neuropsychology and Diagnostic Assessment

Focused on comprehensive neuropsychological and psycho-educational evaluations that help families understand the full picture of a child’s development.

Both divisions share the same core philosophy: thoughtful assessment, clear explanations for families, and recommendations that are practical for real-world settings.

We’re excited about this next step and look forward to continuing to support families across the Bay Area.

More details coming soon.

✏️ **“My child is smart… so why is writing so hard?”**If your child can explain ideas out loud but struggles to get them...
03/12/2026

✏️ **“My child is smart… so why is writing so hard?”**

If your child can explain ideas out loud but struggles to get them onto paper, you’re not alone.

For many families, the issue isn’t motivation or effort. It may be dysgraphia — a learning difference that affects writing skills such as handwriting, spelling, and organizing thoughts on paper. Dysgraphia can make writing slow, frustrating, and exhausting for children, even when they understand the material.

We created a **free parent guide to dysgraphia** to help families better understand what might be going on.

Inside the guide you’ll learn:
• Common signs of dysgraphia
• Why writing can feel so effortful for some kids
• What parents can do at home
• What to ask schools about evaluation, supports, and accommodations

Many children with dysgraphia are bright, capable learners — they just need the right supports so writing doesn’t become a barrier to showing what they know.

📘 **Download the free guide here:**
https://thebylundclinic.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Dysgraphia-Ebook.pdf

If writing has been a daily struggle in your home, this guide can help you better understand what your child may be experiencing — and what steps you can take next.

— The Bylund Clinic

Telling a student with dysgraphia to “just slow down” is like telling a student with dyslexia to “just read more slowly....
03/04/2026

Telling a student with dysgraphia to “just slow down” is like telling a student with dyslexia to “just read more slowly.”

When handwriting and fine motor integration are not automatic, production speed is inherently compromised.

When reviewing reports in our IEE work, we frequently see low scores on visual-motor integration measures dismissed as “invalid” because the student "rushed."

But if:

✅ The visual motor integration score is low

✅ There are real-world writing concerns

✅ Written output is effortful or inconsistent

…that data point should not simply be discarded.

Yes, some students rush through tasks that are difficult. But rushing can be an avoidance response — not evidence that the measure lacks validity.

When a low visual-motor integration score co-occurs with observable handwriting breakdown and written expression concerns, that pattern may represent a meaningful marker for a writing-based learning disability.

We need to be cautious about throwing out data that aligns with real-world impairment simply because effort was uneven.

In dysgraphia, the absence of automaticity is the impairment.

Extended time, slow production, or breakdown under demand are not side issues; they are indicators that the skill has not consolidated.

“Once we have the IEE, the report will speak for itself.”While a strong evaluation and a skilled psychologist go a long ...
02/08/2026

“Once we have the IEE, the report will speak for itself.”

While a strong evaluation and a skilled psychologist go a long way, schools are not required to agree with IEE conclusions or recommendations — even when the data is clear.

This is where advocates and attorneys play a different role. They focus on how the data is used, ask legal and procedural questions during IEP meetings, and help ensure that services, placement decisions, and compensatory agreements are actually implemented.

For families navigating eligibility disputes, unilateral placements, or complex profiles, long-term advocacy can be just as important as the evaluation itself.

Structured literacy has historically been associated with dyslexia, but research over the past two decades supports the ...
01/14/2026

Structured literacy has historically been associated with dyslexia, but research over the past two decades supports the use of explicit, systematic phonics-based instruction for students with intellectual disability, including those with moderate to more significant support needs.

Students with ID, and those served in SDC classrooms, are equally entitled to evidence-based literacy instruction, guided by data rather than assumptions about learning potential.

We were grateful to host Maria Gregory, LEP, and Guy Hernandez, LMFT of TheraTree Community on The Bylund Clinic Podcast...
01/12/2026

We were grateful to host Maria Gregory, LEP, and Guy Hernandez, LMFT of TheraTree Community on The Bylund Clinic Podcast for a thoughtful, clinically grounded discussion on Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), often described as a pervasive drive for autonomy.

The conversation explored how PDA differs from anxiety or oppositional presentations, how clinicians conceptualize PDA traits in the absence of a formal DSM diagnosis, and implications for therapeutic and school-based approaches when traditional behavior frameworks are not effective.

Thank you, Maria and Guy, for sharing your clinical insight and helping advance this important professional dialogue.

🎧 Episode 15 is now available wherever you listen to podcasts.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bylund-clinic/id1774330111

💡 Eligibility isn’t about grades aloneA child does not need to be failing academically to qualify for special education ...
01/03/2026

💡 Eligibility isn’t about grades alone

A child does not need to be failing academically to qualify for special education services.

Educational impact includes social skills, behavior, participation, and access to learning—not just test scores. A student can be bright, verbal, and meeting academic expectations while still struggling to engage, connect with peers, or participate fully at school.

Access matters. Functioning matters. Not just grades.

Grades alone do not define FAPE.

Address

1407 Oakland Boulevard, Suite 102
Walnut Creek, CA
94596

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 7pm

Telephone

+19254184661

Website

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