Auditory Processing Disorder
What is Auditory Processing?
It is the process that turns sound into usable information in the brain. The ability of the central auditory nervous system to take in and analyse the sounds perceived, understanding the information heard, and processing of the neurological signals at an appropriate speed. Multiple systems of interconnecting neurons must work synchronously, to bring information together across modalities and processing centers to make sense of what we hear. For most of us, this complex processing occurs naturally. However, many children struggling in school have listening problems caused by the brain not processing sounds in the normal way.
What is Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)?
An Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a disruption in the auditory nervous system’s network that can affect the brain’s ability to process sound accurately and efficiently. Individuals with APD can have normal hearing sensitivity and will pass a basic hearing test, but processing and understanding what is heard are compromised. It is often that the ears and brain do not fully coordinate and this lack of coordination can interfere with the brain’s ability recognize and interpret sound. APD can make it hard to distinguish small sound differences within words, remember what was heard, and keep up with ongoing speech, especially in background noise or where more than one person is talking. A breakdown in listening skills disrupts the normal acquisition of language and can cause speech/language delays and difficulties communicating. This can adversely impact a child’s success in school, self-esteem, and personal relationships.
APD affects 43% of children struggling in school. Yet, it can easily be overlooked or mistaken for other learning disabilities or conditions such as ADHD. APD commonly coexists with other disorders such as ADHD, speech and language delays, dyslexia, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, sensory integration disorder, visual perceptual or visual processing deficits, and hearing loss.
It is unfortunate that many teachers and other professionals have never heard of APD and APD services has been underutilised and underexplored worldwide but especially in South Africa. This has lead to many children not receiving the early identification and treatment they need to reach their full potential. Overlooking an auditory processing disorder can lead to years of working around an underlying problem. The treatment for APD is different from other learning disabilities. If APD is not identified and treated, it makes it much harder for a child to communicate effectively and succeed in school.
It is unfortunate that many teachers and other professionals have never heard of APD and APD services has been underutilised and underexplored worldwide but especially in South Africa. This has lead to many children not receiving the early identification and treatment they need to reach their full potential. Overlooking an auditory processing disorder can lead to years of working around an underlying problem. The treatment for APD is different from other learning disabilities. If APD is not identified and treated, it makes it much harder for a child to communicate effectively and succeed in school.
Symptoms of APD
APD often mimics hearing loss. Since APD causes distortion and delay in acoustic signal transmission, inaccurate sound coding in the brain will take place.
• Since the brain receives sounds incorrectly, children with APD may not recognize subtle differences between sounds in words (duh and guh for example), and they may have difficulty using those sounds for speech and language. This can also make it challenging to learn to read and spell.
• Since individuals with APD struggle to process or interpret what they hear, it can often cause listening comprehension problems.
• Since the brain receives sounds incorrectly, children with APD may not recognize subtle differences between sounds in words (duh and guh for example), and they may have difficulty using those sounds for speech and language. This can also make it challenging to learn to read and spell.
• Since individuals with APD struggle to process or interpret what they hear, it can often cause listening comprehension problems.
• Many children with APD have trouble filtering out background noise. They may be distracted by surrounding sounds from air conditioners, groups of people speaking, and noisy environments such as restaurants and noisy areas at school making it very difficult to understand speech. It is similar to listening to a radio station with static or other stations interfering with the reception.
• Individuals with APD also often have poor ability to recall or remember what they heard. They typically try so hard to understand that they often forget parts of what they hear.
Adults can also have an auditory processing disorder. Adults who pass a basic hearing test but have difficulty understanding and keeping up with speech, especially in background noise, should seek further testing. It is not too late to get help.
APD is treatable. Some types of APD can be completely remediated within a few months. However, no two individuals with APD are the same. Since there are different types of APD, symptoms will vary from person to person.
Auditory Processing Center specializes in the assessment and treatment of auditory processing disorder. APD evaluations can be performed for children ages five and up, and adults can also be seen for APD testing and therapy. Therapy through Auditory Processing Center is highly individualized based on each person’s specific deficits. By customizing treatment and addressing any coexisting issues, children and adults can improve their listening skills, regain confidence, and reach their full potential.
Auditory Processing Disorder is an umbrella term that describes various subtypes that affect how the brain perceives and processes what the ears hear. Since there are different types of APD, symptoms will vary from child to child. While no two people with APD are alike, these individuals all have various challenges with everyday listening due to problems in the accurate and efficient processing of auditory information.
• Individuals with APD also often have poor ability to recall or remember what they heard. They typically try so hard to understand that they often forget parts of what they hear.
Adults can also have an auditory processing disorder. Adults who pass a basic hearing test but have difficulty understanding and keeping up with speech, especially in background noise, should seek further testing. It is not too late to get help.
APD is treatable. Some types of APD can be completely remediated within a few months. However, no two individuals with APD are the same. Since there are different types of APD, symptoms will vary from person to person.
Auditory Processing Center specializes in the assessment and treatment of auditory processing disorder. APD evaluations can be performed for children ages five and up, and adults can also be seen for APD testing and therapy. Therapy through Auditory Processing Center is highly individualized based on each person’s specific deficits. By customizing treatment and addressing any coexisting issues, children and adults can improve their listening skills, regain confidence, and reach their full potential.
Auditory Processing Disorder is an umbrella term that describes various subtypes that affect how the brain perceives and processes what the ears hear. Since there are different types of APD, symptoms will vary from child to child. While no two people with APD are alike, these individuals all have various challenges with everyday listening due to problems in the accurate and efficient processing of auditory information.
Common symptoms of APD
• Frequently requesting repetition and/or rephrasing of information, saying “what” or “huh” often
• Difficulty understanding speech with competing talkers or background noise
• Difficulty following multiple-step or lengthy oral instructions
• Mishearing auditory information
• Slowness in processing and responding to auditory information
• Distracted by background noise, often sensitive to soft sounds in the environment most people do not notice
• Overwhelmed by complex or noisy auditory environments (i.e. classrooms, parties, shopping malls)
• Difficulty maintaining attention when listening to verbal information
• Inconsistent or inappropriate responses to spoken requests for information
• Misinterpretation of questions
• Difficulty remembering spoken information
• Difficulty following classroom discussions, or making off-topic contributions
• Trouble hearing the differences between sounds in words
• Difficulty hearing when a signal is not clear or is ‘degraded’ (i.e soft, rapid, or distorted speech, accented speech, speech in reverberant environments, and speech over the phone)
• Poor memory for lists of words and numbers
• Difficulty understanding speech with competing talkers or background noise
• Difficulty following multiple-step or lengthy oral instructions
• Mishearing auditory information
• Slowness in processing and responding to auditory information
• Distracted by background noise, often sensitive to soft sounds in the environment most people do not notice
• Overwhelmed by complex or noisy auditory environments (i.e. classrooms, parties, shopping malls)
• Difficulty maintaining attention when listening to verbal information
• Inconsistent or inappropriate responses to spoken requests for information
• Misinterpretation of questions
• Difficulty remembering spoken information
• Difficulty following classroom discussions, or making off-topic contributions
• Trouble hearing the differences between sounds in words
• Difficulty hearing when a signal is not clear or is ‘degraded’ (i.e soft, rapid, or distorted speech, accented speech, speech in reverberant environments, and speech over the phone)
• Poor memory for lists of words and numbers
• Trouble focusing when conversations or activities do not include visuals
• Difficulty with complex language such as word problems
• Poor phonological awareness skills such as sound-symbol relationships, blending a sequence of sounds into words, and identifying the beginning, middle, and ending sounds of words
• Poor reading fluency and/or reading comprehension
• Poor spelling skills, with better performance when quizzed one-on-one
• Difficulty interpreting prosody and tone of voice cues that underlie emotion, humor, and sarcasm and may be likely to interpret messages literally or get feelings hurt easily
• Articulation errors that persist longer than they should
• Difficulty finding the right words to use
• Difficulty singing in tune and poor musical ability
• Preference for loud television volume
• Listening fatigue
• Become frustrated with certain tasks. (i.e. saying “I don’t understand” or “I don’t know what you mean”)
• Difficulty with complex language such as word problems
• Poor phonological awareness skills such as sound-symbol relationships, blending a sequence of sounds into words, and identifying the beginning, middle, and ending sounds of words
• Poor reading fluency and/or reading comprehension
• Poor spelling skills, with better performance when quizzed one-on-one
• Difficulty interpreting prosody and tone of voice cues that underlie emotion, humor, and sarcasm and may be likely to interpret messages literally or get feelings hurt easily
• Articulation errors that persist longer than they should
• Difficulty finding the right words to use
• Difficulty singing in tune and poor musical ability
• Preference for loud television volume
• Listening fatigue
• Become frustrated with certain tasks. (i.e. saying “I don’t understand” or “I don’t know what you mean”)
