Auditory Processing Evaluations

In the absence of hearing loss or pathologies of the peripheral auditory system, normal auditory processing abilities occur when our brain correctly interprets an incoming auditory message. An Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) occurs when there is a breakdown in the ability of the brain to follow through with this interpretation. Consequently, a child with an APD fails to understand auditory information in a manner comparable to his peers. The cause of an APD is unknown.

Children with APD often do not recognize subtle differences between sounds in words, even though the sounds themselves are loud and clear. These kinds of problems are more likely to occur when a person with APD is in a noisy environment or when he or she is listening to complex information.  In children, auditory processing difficulty may be associated or can occur concurrently with conditions such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, autism, autism spectrum disorder, specific language impairment, pervasive developmental disorder, or developmental delay.

There is a wide range of variability in the problems experienced by children with APD; however, it should be recognized that the presence of an APD places the child at risk for developing many of these language and academic problems.

Early Signs & Symptoms:

• Difficulty following verbal directions.
• Echolalia (repeating back words and phrases without comprehension).
• A child who says "huh" or "what" and requires more repetitions of verbal input messages.
• Highly distractible/active.
• Difficulty with memorizing names and places.
• Difficulty repeating words or numbers in sequence.
• May have speech or language "delays."
• Difficulty hearing in noisy situations
• Difficulty following long conversations
• Difficulty learning a foreign language or challenging vocabulary words
• Difficulty taking notes
• Difficulty with organizational skills
• Difficulty following multi-step directions
• Difficulty in directing, sustaining, or dividing attention
• Difficulty with reading and/or spelling

Often teachers recognize a problem although they might not utilize the term auditory processing.  You may hear them say the following, "your child is not paying attention, he can't follow directions" or "things need to be repeated several times".

How Parents Can Help Their Child at Home:

Strategies applied at home and school can alleviate some of the problem behaviors associated with APD. Because it's common for kids with APD to have difficulty following directions, for example, these tactics might help:

• Since most kids with APD have difficulty hearing amid noise, it's very important to reduce the background noise at home and at school.
• Have your child look at you when you're speaking.
• Use simple, expressive sentences.
• Speak at a slightly slower rate and at a mildly increased volume.
• Ask your child to repeat the directions back to you and to keep repeating them aloud (to you or to himself or herself) until the directions are completed.
• For directions that are to be completed at a later time, writing notes, wearing a watch, and maintaining a household routine also help. General organization and scheduling also can be beneficial.
• It's especially important to teach your child to notice noisy environments, for example, and move to quieter places when listening is necessary. 

Other strategies that might help:

• Provide your child with a quiet study place (not the kitchen table).
• Maintain a peaceful, organized lifestyle.
• Encourage good eating and sleeping habits.
• Assign regular and realistic chores, including keeping a neat room and desk.
• Build your child's self-esteem.
• Be sure to keep in regular contact with school officials about your child's progress.
• One of the most important things that both parents and teachers can do is to acknowledge that CAPD is real. Symptoms and behaviors are not within the child's control. What is within the child's control is recognizing the problems associated with APD and applying the strategies recommended both at home and school.
• A positive, realistic attitude and healthy self-esteem in a child with APD can work wonders. And kids with APD can go on to be just as successful as other classmates. Although some children do, however, grow up to be adults with APD, with coping strategies and by using techniques taught to them in speech therapy, they can be very successful adults.

Symptoms of APD can range from mild to severe, and can take many different forms. At Professional Hearing & Speech Center we are trained professionals who specialize in APD and can determine if your child has an auditory processing disorder.

Call (732) 982-4650 or e-mail Professional_Hearing and_Speech Center to obtain more information on Auditory Processing Evaluations.