Auditory Processing Improvement (Part 1) - 2008-11-23
Ten year old Kelly seems to pay attention when the teacher works with her one-on-one. But when there are group discussions, she spends most of her time looking out the window. The teacher is complaining she doesn't participate in class and Kelly is getting lower grades as a result.
Daniel who is 12, was supposed to be home in time for his dentist's appointment at 3:30 PM. But when he finally walked in the house at 5:00, he was surprised to hear about the appointment and that his mother had reminded him about it that morning.
Normal kids? Or is something else going on?
Life is complicated these days, for children as much as adults. There's a lot to remember and a lot to do. But sometimes a child may seem to be more than simply distracted by a complex life. Although their hearing may be normal, kids with an auditory processing disorder (APD) can't process the information they hear in the same way as others because their ears and brain don't fully coordinate.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of APD?
Symptoms of APD can range from mild to severe and can take many different forms. If you think there may be a problem with how your child processes what he or she hears, ask yourself these questions:
• Is my child easily distracted or unusually bothered by loud or sudden noises?
• Are noisy environments upsetting to my child?
• Does my child's behavior and performance improve in quieter settings?
• Does my child have difficulty following directions, whether simple or complicated ones?
• Does my child have reading, spelling, writing, or other speech-language difficulties?
• Is abstract information difficult for my child to comprehend?
• Are verbal (word) math problems difficult for my child?
• Is my child disorganized and forgetful?
• Are conversations hard for my child to follow?
These, as well as other behaviors, may be signs of an auditory processing disorder (APD). It's an often-misunderstood problem because many of the behaviors noted above may also appear in other conditions such as learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), and even depression. But kids with APD can have a coexisting disorder - the most commonly seen is AD/HD. Although APD is often confused with AD/HD, it is possible to have both.
What Causes APD?
The possible causes of APD are varied and can include head trauma, chronic ear infections, and unknown reasons. Because there are many different possibilities - even combinations of causes - each child has to be assessed on an individual basis.
How Is APD Diagnosed?
Audiologists (specialists in hearing) and speech language pathologists can determine if your child has APD. Auditory processing testing can determine if there really is a problem.
However, some of the skills a child needs to be evaluated for an auditory processing disorder don't develop until 8 or 9 years old. The auditory center of the brain isn't fully developed at age 7, 8, and 9 - the most common ages seen for auditory processing tests. These kids' brains just haven't matured enough to accept and process a lot of information. Therefore, some younger children diagnosed with APD may develop better skills with time.
Once diagnosed, children with APD usually work with a speech therapist. The audiologist will also recommend that your child return for yearly follow-up evaluations.
Stay tuned for part 2.
Don Harris, MS, CCC-SLP
Certified Speech Language Pathologist
www.SpeechAndListening.com
