A small percentage of school age children are diagnosed with a Central Auditory Processing Disorder, or CAPD. Another name for this disorder is simply Auditory Processing Disorder, or APD. This disorder refers to a child whose brain does not process sounds like a normal brain should. This seems to particularly apply to the sounds of speech.
Signs of Auditory Processing Disorder
Students with APD may not be able to hear differences between similar sounds, even when those sounds are loud and clear. Any extraneous noise will prevent their brains from distinguishing the sounds of speech, which includes basic background noise. Even so, these children are not considered to have hearing loss. Instead, it is a processing problem relating to their hearing.
Signs to look for include:
- Speech and language delays
- Academic problems
- Easily distracted
- The child may seem upset or bothered by loud environments
- Behavior and abilities may improve in a quiet setting
- Difficulty following even simple directions
- Difficulty with reading, writing and spelling
- Difficulty understanding abstract concepts
- Difficulty with word problems in math
- General disorganization
- Forgetfulness
- Difficulty following along with conversations
- Poor listening skills
- Takes a longer time to process information
Causes of an Auditory Processing Disorder
Although head trauma, lead poisoning and frequent ear infections are known to cause this disorder, many of the causes are unknown. Because of this, an Audiologist must be the one to diagnose a child with APD. This hearing specialist will be able to perform specific tests that will definitively diagnose a child with an auditory processing disorder instead of a hearing problem or ADHD or another disability.
What to Do to Help a Child with an Auditory Processing Disorder
A child with APD should receive services from a speech therapist in addition to modifications made at home and in the classroom. There are several types of auditory difficulties that the child may have, including:
Auditory figure-ground: this is the difficulty or inability to function in a noisy environment.
Auditory memory problems: The memory problems can be immediate in that they cannot repeat something back right away, or delayed in that they cannot remember what was said when they get home.
Auditory discrimination problem: This classic sign of APD is the difficulty to differentiate between similar sounds, making phonics and learning how to read extremely difficult.
Auditory attention problem: This refers to a child who cannot listen for long enough to complete a task.
Auditory cohesion problems: This refers to the inability to complete more difficult listening tasks such as drawing inferences.
Help the child with APD by making efforts to:
- Reduce background noise
- Make eye contact when speaking to the child
- Use simple sentences
- Speak a little slower and a little louder
- Provide additional wait time for the child to process the question
- Repeat directions frequently
- Use written notes instead of relying upon verbal memory
- Stick to a routine
- Provide as much organization as possible
- Provide a quiet place for the child to study
Even though it can be difficult for parents and teachers to work with a child who has a Central Auditory Processing Disorder, remember to be patient. Children with this disorder, like those with other disorders, are not choosing to do the things relating to their disability. Help the child to find ways around this disability and be able to learn.
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