What Every Parent Should Know About Auditory Processing Disorder
As speech-language pathologists, we often receive questions from parents and teachers about Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). For some kids, APD is the missing piece that helps explain the challenges they face. In this post, we’ll break down the basics of APD and answer some of the most common questions we hear.
What is APD?
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), auditory processing disorder is “a deficit in the neural processing of auditory information in the central auditory nervous system (CANS) that is not due to higher-order language, cognitive, or related factors.” In other words, this means that APD affects how the brain understands and interprets sounds, even though an individual’s hearing may be perfectly normal.
What causes APD?
Although the exact cause is unknown, it is believed to be related to how the brain processes sound signals. While there is no known cure, early identification and intervention are crucial, as APD may lead to difficulties in higher-order language, learning, and communication skills.
Is a child’s hearing affected by APD?
This is a common misconception. APD does not affect a child's ability to hear. Children with APD typically have normal hearing. The issue lies in how the brain processes and interprets those sounds, not in how well the ears detect sound. While children with APD may struggle to distinguish between similar sounds, there is no impairment in their actual hearing ability.
How does APD impact day-to-day life?
APD can affect many aspects of daily life.
It may impact communication by making it difficult to understand speech, especially in noisy environments. This can lead to challenges following conversations, following directions, and engaging in phone calls (or any information presented auditorially) due to the lack of visual support.
It may impact learning by causing difficulties with reading, spelling, and language comprehension tasks, with increased difficulty particularly in noisy classroom settings, which can impact academic performance.
It may impact social Interactions as it may be more challenging to understand conversations and emotional cues, potentially leading to increased isolation, decreased self-confidence, and anxiety.
What signs might a child with APD exhibit?
Difficulty following verbal instructions, especially in noisy environments with competing messages
Frequently mishears similar-sounding words
Struggles to follow conversations, may often ask for repetition or clarification
Slower response time during spoken communication
Difficulty detecting tone, sarcasm, or jokes or learning songs or rhymes
Inconsistent or inappropriate responses in conversations
Difficulty with reading, spelling, and overall learning
Difficulty localizing where sounds are coming from
Difficulty staying focused or avoiding distractions
What’s the difference between ADHD and APD?
While ADHD and APD can look similar on the surface, they are quite different in their causes, symptoms, and treatment approaches. Both may involve challenges like trouble following directions, seeming inattentive, struggling in noisy environments, and experiencing academic difficulties. However, the root of these issues differs: ADHD is a neurological condition affecting attention, impulse control, and organization, while APD specifically impacts how the brain processes auditory information. Individuals with ADHD often show signs of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, whereas those with APD typically struggle to understand speech in noisy settings, follow verbal instructions, and tell similar sounds apart.
Who diagnoses APD?
Only Audiologists can diagnose APD, as they have specialized training in assessing how the brain processes sounds. While audiologist handle the diagnosis, speech-language pathologists play a vital role in treatment of APD by developing strategies to improve communication, listening, and language skills.
How can speech therapy help with APD?
Treatment for APD usually focuses on three main areas: environmental modifications, building higher-level skills, and directly addressing the auditory difficulties.
Implementing environmental modifications might include reduction of background noise or amplification devices to make the speaker’s voice clearer.
Building higher-level skills may include targeting language memory, and/or cognitive abilities to help with processing incoming information.
Targeting auditory deficits may involve activities to do at home or specific programs to complete with a trained speech-language pathologist.
If your child may be showing difficulties of any of the signs listed, don’t hesitate to reach out to a licensed speech-language pathologist for support. Early identification and intervention can make a big difference in helping your child succeed at home, in school, and socially.
Searching for speech therapy near me?
Reach out to us for a free consultation! During the consultation, we can determine if an evaluation is recommended and answer any questions you may have. We’re here to support your child’s development every step of the way.
Northern Virginia:
Phone: 703-470-6957
Email: info@owlstherapy.com
Philadelphia’s Main Line
Phone: 610-579-0914
Email: philadelphia@owlstherapy.com