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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:
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Difficulty following verbal directions.
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Echolalia (repeating back words and phrases without
comprehension).
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A child who says "huh" or "what" and requires more
repetitions of verbal input messages.
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Highly distractible/active.
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Difficulty with memorizing names and places.
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Difficulty repeating words or numbers in sequence.
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May have speech or language "delays."
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Difficulty hearing in noisy situations
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Difficulty following long conversations
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Difficulty learning a foreign language or challenging
vocabulary words
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Difficulty taking notes
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Difficulty with organizational skills
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Difficulty following multi-step directions
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Difficulty in directing, sustaining, or dividing attention
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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".
Symptoms of APD can range from mild to severe, and can take
many different forms. At Professional Hearing and Speech Center we are trained professionals who specialize in APD and can determine if your child has an auditory processing
disorder.
Call 732-303-9660 or e-mail
Professional_Hearing
and_Speech Center to obtain
more information on what an Audiologist can do for you.
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