Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a hearing problem that occurs when the brain is unable to process sounds in the normal way.
Auditory Processing Disorder is relatively rare – with only about 3-4 percent of the population truly having APD.
People who are suffering from Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) or Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) find it difficult to process slight differences in sounds. They may confuse words such as “ways” with “haze” and “hair” with “chair.”
APD is not a learning disorder. The brain cannot hear certain sounds the way it’s supposed to. When someone suffers from APD they have a problem understanding the meaning of what is being said. This makes it difficult for children, with APD, to learn at school and for adults to carry out social interactions properly.
- Auditory Processing Disorder is a disorder of the auditory system at the level of the brain, in an area called the auditory cortex.
- Auditory Processing Disorder also referred to as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), can occur in both children and adults. It can only be tested for and diagnosed by an audiologist.
The cause of APD is often unknown. Both children, and, adults can be affected by APD. Some adults may have it from childhood, while others may develop APD due to a variety of reasons, including age, trauma, neurologic disease, stroke, or tumor, among others. Sometimes, surgical interventions to treat brain disorders could also lead to APD.
Symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder
One of the most obvious symptoms of APD is the struggle to understand spoken words in noisy environments or speech of rapid talkers.
Unlike children with APD who show clear symptoms of educational difficulties, adults show issues while carrying out their activities at their workplace or when they are engaged in social communication. However, adults with APD who go back to school to pursue a degree might show symptoms similar to children with APD while learning at school.
However, APD should not be confused with hearing loss. People with APD might not show any symptoms of peripheral hearing loss when they appear for audiological testing. But they might have trouble perceiving the subtler aspects of communication such as intonation, rhythm, or stress.
Adults with APD might report issues such as difficulty in understanding humor or sarcasm, or even tone-of-voice which often carries a lot of subtle information, in spoken communication.
Here’s a look at the symptoms that adults with APD might experience while at home/outside and while at work:
Symptoms while at home/outside
• Having trouble following conversations and having that constant feeling that they are missing something.
• Difficulty in remembering the names of the people they met at a party.
• Watching TV at a loud volume yet struggling to understand what’s being said or played.
• Having difficulty following spoken directions and figuring their way around a city.
• Having issues following conversations at a noisy bar.
Symptoms while at work
• Missing important calls as they can’t hear the phone ringing sometimes.
• Struggling to remember and follow multi-step directions.
• Making seemingly careless mistakes at work.
• Having difficulty conversing with colleagues during lunch, at the cafeteria.
• Having trouble understanding if their superior or colleague is upset with them, by the way, they call them to a meeting.
Treatment for APD
Normal hearing tests are not very useful at diagnosing APD. Treatment can alleviate symptoms, but this condition can’t be cured.
If you or your child experiences any of the symptoms, you need to consult an audiologist or speech pathologist so they can perform a variety of test to determine if it’s APD or another type of learning disability
Identifying the symptoms and accessing diagnosis and treatment early can help reduce APD symptoms.
For children, often certain treatment plans can be implemented to ensure they are not at a disadvantage when it comes to their education.
To fully understand and treat the condition, a complete analysis and tests should be conducted.
One of the most basic ways of reducing APD is by improving environmental conditions:
• Work on using visual cues to help understand
• Choosing less-noisy places to sit and converse in
The treatment typically focuses on auditory training activities that are deficit-specific, which will go a long way to helping improve the condition.
A comprehensive APD treatment should focus on the following areas:
- Environmental modifications, including classroom support. – this may include putting children with APD in the front and using electronic devices to improve sound
- Making other skills stronger including improving memory, problem-solving, and language skills. By improving skills such as language, memory, and attention will help people with APD to compensate for their auditory deficits.
- Therapy. The use of therapy can be used to help children recognize the sounds and improve conversational skills (Source: WebMD)
Conclusion
If you or your child experiencing possible symptoms of APD, consult an audiologist or speech pathologist for a formal assessment and proper testing for accurate diagnosis and plat of treatment.
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