Has a recent diagnosis led you to the question “What is APD, and who suffers from it?” You’re not alone. Nearly 5% of school-aged children are diagnosed with APD.
If you or someone you love has discovered that they have APD it’s important to learn as much as you can on the subject.
This article will provide answers and get you the information you need about Auditory Processing Disorder.
What is APD?
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), also called, Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), is a hearing disorder that causes the brain to have a hard time processing, remembering, and understanding words that have been spoken.
It is important to note that APD is not a learning disorder, a cognition disorder, or a loss of hearing issues. APD is when the brain is having a hard time “hearing” words like it normally should.
Someone who suffers from this will mix up words based on their sounds. If something sounds similar to another word, their brains will confuse the word spoken with another word.
For example, if a parent asks their child “what number comes after three,” the children with APD may have heard, “What a bummer this one’s not free.” The words “number and bummer,” “three and free” are what a child with APD will audibly mix up.
Who is most likely to suffer Auditory Processing Disorder?
- People of any and all ages
- Statistics show that 2%-7% of children suffer from APD
- Common in someone already diagnosed with dyslexia or ADHD
- Commonly during childhood, but can happen at an older age
- Boys are at greater risk of development than girls
So, what is APD? Let’s take a look at the symptoms, causes, and treatment options.
Symptoms of APD
While some symptoms of APD may resemble symptoms of other disorders such as ADHD, ADD, or Dyslexia, here is a comprehensive list detailing what a victim of Auditory Processing Disorder may be experiencing. They may:
- Have difficulty processing ideas or thoughts and then explaining to them when asked to (slow processing skills)
- Be unable to understand figures of speech; takes words, phrases, or jokes literally rather than metaphorically
- Have trouble confusing words that are similar in pronunciation; can mispronounce, leave out syllables, or misspell closely related-sounding words (colt/cult), (ask/axe)
- Be easily distracted by noises in the background
- Have difficulty determining the origin of a noise/sound or someone speaking
- Find it extremely difficult to focus especially on presentations, speeches, or classroom lectures
- Have issues misinterpreting verbal direction given, unable to follow sequential steps
- Become too focused on something that they ignore someone speaking directly to them
- Maintain that repetition is essential to them because they are unable to process what is being said; may ask “what?” or other repetitive questions (“Why?”)
- Have a hard time understanding someone who speaks fast or in longer, more complex sentences
- Have no issues remembering non-verbal situations such as music or background sounds, but are unable to cognitively respond to orally given tasks.
- Video Simulation of APD Symptoms performing a task
Now that we’ve discussed some of the major symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder, let’s look at some suspected causes.
Causes of APD
While physicians aren’t completely positive about the direct cause of APD, studies have shown several links between this diagnosis and other medical factors. Some of these factors include:
- Trauma to the head from an injury
- Low birth weight or a premature birth
- Chronic ear infections
- Chronic meningitis
- Lead Poisoning
- Central nervous system disorders (ie: Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s Disease, Epilepsy, Strokes)
- Genetic APD disorders that run in the family
Now that we’ve discussed possible causes for Auditory Processing Disorder, let’s look at some of the solutions you can use to reduce the cognitive difficulties and confusion this disorder creates.
Solutions for Auditory Processing Disorder
Here are some ideas for helping to reduce some of the issues a sufferer of APD struggles with. These solutions will make communications between you and this person much more fluid and easier to understand.
- Rather than using oral language to get a concept across, try focusing instead on communication through sensory means (hand gestures, visual means, paper handouts, manipulatives).
- Reduce verbal directions by instead giving slow, simple ones that incorporate spacing between from one to the next direction. Use transition words or phrases such as “ready?” or “here we go.”
- Change the tone of voice throughout a direction, making sure you stress keywords or direction. Slow the pace of your speech and change the pitch of your voice over different words.
- Work on understanding synonyms and antonyms of words
- Teach them word roots
- Work on vocabulary words that are abstract
- When teaching them, ask the questions that are specific in order to find out if they are cognitively grasping what you are saying
- Allow them some extra time to think before they respond
- Work on having them verbally practice their vocabulary words
- School Success Kit
If you think you or your child may have APD, speak to your family doctor or pediatrician about your concerns.
If you suspect you might be suffering you want to set up an appointment with an Ear (hearing loss), Nose, Throat (ENT) doctor’s office to seek answers from a physician trained in the Ear/Auditory function.
Finding the Care You Need
If you suspect that you or your child has Auditory Processing Disorder, attention deficit you can request testing done by an audiologist, given in a sound-treated space. Once diagnosed, you can actively take measures that we discussed to work on treating the symptoms of APD.
Since everyone’s symptoms are different and APD severity can range from individual to individual, the diagnosis can be difficult to make. If you do fin you might have APD, you need to find treatment methods that work best for you. For further information to help you and your child, check out our list of resources.