Auditory Proccessing

What is Auditory Processing Disorder?

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a condition where the brain has difficulty interpreting and making sense of the sounds heard, despite normal hearing ability. Individuals with APD may struggle to understand speech in noisy environments, follow directions, or distinguish between similar sounds. It can affect listening, learning, reading, and communication skills. Diagnosis typically involves specialized auditory testing by an audiologist, and treatment may include therapy, classroom accommodations, and auditory training exercises.

Prevalence of APD

School-Age Children

Approximately 5% of school-age children have some type of auditory processing disorder (APD), and according to the National Institutes of Health, in children with learning difficulties, the prevalence of auditory processing disorder has been found to be 43%.

Misdiagnosis

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) often coexists with conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, speech/language disorders, autism, sensory processing disorder, and visual processing disorder, with overlapping symptoms that can lead to misdiagnosis. About 50% of children with ADHD and up to 70% of those with dyslexia also have APD, though the true prevalence is likely higher due to frequent underdiagnosis.

Signs and Symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder

Difficulty understanding speech

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

Difficulty following multi-step directions

People with APD may struggle to hear clearly when there is background noise, like in a busy restaurant or crowded room.

Difficulty following multi-step directions

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

Difficulty following multi-step directions

They may have trouble remembering and following a sequence of instructions.

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

APD can impact a person's ability to decode and understand spoken words, leading to difficulties in these areas.

Challenges with attention and focus

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

APD can make it hard to concentrate, especially when there are distractions or the auditory input is complex.

Mishearing sounds or words

Challenges with attention and focus

Difficulty localizing sounds

Individuals with APD may misinterpret what they hear, leading to misunderstandings.

Difficulty localizing sounds

Challenges with attention and focus

Difficulty localizing sounds

They may struggle to pinpoint the source of a sound or determine which direction it's coming from.

Trouble with conversations

Difficulty processing nonverbal information

They may have difficulty following conversations, particularly when multiple people are talking or the topic is complex.

Difficulty processing nonverbal information

They may struggle to understand tone of voice, sarcasm, and other nonverbal cues.

Emotional and behavioral difficulties

Difficulty processing nonverbal information

Emotional and behavioral difficulties

Individuals with APD may experience frustration, anxiety, or even depression due to the challenges they face.

Academic challenges

Difficulty with oral communication

Emotional and behavioral difficulties

APD can lead to difficulties in school, especially with reading, spelling, and understanding verbal instructions.

Difficulty with oral communication

Longer response time during oral communication, inconsistent or inappropriate responses during oral communication.

Academic challenges

Difficulty with oral communication

APD can lead to difficulties in school, especially with reading, spelling, and understanding verbal instructions.

What to do if you suspect APD

School - Aged Children

During the 5 years that I worked at multiple districts, different schools, I never met a student diagnosed with APD. Once I learned more and became trained on providing treatment, it clicked, I realized that I had potentially worked with students with APD that were not diagnosed and that there is lack of knowledge of APD and how to treat it in the school setting. Depending on the district, they may or may not have an Audiologist that knows how to assess and diagnose APD. I also that it is not clear if it falls within the medical or educational setting to treat it. I personally talked to a pediatrician and the pediatrician said it was the schools responsibility to dianose and treat it, and vise versa when in the school setting.

Services

We offer a range of speech and language therapy services, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for various speech disorders, language disorders, and communication difficulties. We also provide accent modification and voice therapy services.

Our Team

Our team of licensed and certified speech-language pathologists has extensive experience and training in the field of speech and language therapy. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality of care and support to our clients.

Our passion for treating APD

Treating Auditory Processing Disorder is our Founder's passion

During my five years of experience across various school districts, I observed a notable absence of students formally diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). However, subsequent specialized training in APD assessment and intervention illuminated a critical insight: it is highly probable that I encountered numerous undiagnosed students exhibiting characteristics of APD. This realization underscored a significant systemic gap in the identification and treatment of APD within educational environments.

A contributing factor to this challenge is the inconsistent availability of audiologists equipped to assess and diagnose APD across different school districts. Furthermore, there is a pervasive lack of clarity regarding whether the responsibility for APD diagnosis and intervention resides within the medical or educational setting. This ambiguity was personally reinforced during a conversation with a pediatrician, who asserted that schools were responsible for both diagnosis and treatment, a view often contradicted by perspectives encountered within the school system itself. This ongoing jurisdictional uncertainty directly impedes the provision of necessary support for students with APD.

Contact Us

If you suspect your child, or yourself have APD please schedule a free 15 minute consultation. We would love to help!

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What is Auditory Processing Disorder?

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

Prevalence of APD

School-Age Children

Misdiagnosis

Signs and Symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder

Difficulty understanding speech

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

Difficulty following multi-step directions

Difficulty following multi-step directions

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

Difficulty following multi-step directions

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

Challenges with attention and focus

Challenges with attention and focus

Difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing

Mishearing sounds or words

Challenges with attention and focus

Difficulty localizing sounds

Difficulty localizing sounds

Challenges with attention and focus

Difficulty localizing sounds

Trouble with conversations

Difficulty processing nonverbal information

Difficulty processing nonverbal information

Difficulty processing nonverbal information

Difficulty processing nonverbal information

Difficulty processing nonverbal information

Emotional and behavioral difficulties

Difficulty processing nonverbal information

Emotional and behavioral difficulties

Academic challenges

Difficulty with oral communication

Emotional and behavioral difficulties

Difficulty with oral communication

Difficulty with oral communication

Difficulty with oral communication

Academic challenges

Difficulty with oral communication

Difficulty with oral communication

What to do if you suspect APD

School - Aged Children

Services

Our Team

Our passion for treating APD

Treating Auditory Processing Disorder is our Founder's passion

Contact Us

Citations

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