Auditory Processing Disorder

Affects how sound is processed and interpreted by the brain.

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a disorder of the auditory (hearing) system that causes a disruption in the way that an individual’s brain understands what they are hearing.

It is not a form of hearing loss, despite showing difficulty with hearing-related tasks.

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.

Signs and symptoms

Signs and symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder vary from person to person. Many of these symptoms can often be associated with other commonly known disorders, such as ADD/ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder and speech and/or language disorders. A child with APD often appears to have a combination of many symptoms.

Some of the most frequently reported symptoms of APD include:

Significant difficulty understanding speech, especially in the presence of background noise
Difficulty following multi-step directions that are presented verbally, without visual cues
Easily distracted by loud or spontaneous (sudden) sounds
Difficulty attending to long lectures or other long periods of listening
Difficulty remembering and/or effectively summarizing information presented verbally
Difficulty reading, spelling, and/or writing when compared to their peers (performs consistently below grade level)
Trouble following abstract thoughts or ideas
Delayed or misunderstanding of jokes, idioms, and figurative language

Source: https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/conditions/auditory-processing-disorder

Signs of APD Checklist

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