According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, auditory processing disorders refer to a specific range of disorders related to how the central nervous system uses auditory input. Diagnosing auditory processing disorders in schoolchildren begins with isolating the problem, as parents, teachers and medical professionals may confuse such disorders with language, cognitive or other related disorders.
Types
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders points out the many names and permutations of auditory processing disorders. Common names for the disorder include central auditory processing disorder, auditory perception problem, auditory comprehension deficit, central deafness, central auditory dysfunction and word deafness.
Features
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association warns that not even professionals can refer to a general symptoms checklist when diagnosing auditory processing disorders. Children with APD may experience greater difficulty in certain contexts, such as in noisy places or discriminating between similar-sounding words. They may show confusion in school subjects such as reading, spelling and following a sequence of instructions.
Misconceptions
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders says children with auditory processing difficulty do not necessarily have trouble with their hearing. In fact, most children diagnosed with the disorder exhibit normal intelligence and hearing. They may, however, have problems recalling orally presented information, exhibit poor listening skills, demand more processing time for multistep directions, score low on academic tests or have behavior problems.
Expert Insight
The Department of Communication Disorders at the University of Massachusetts identifies several professionals who can help identify auditory processing problems. Your child's daycare provider or teacher may notice something first. Your child then goes to a pediatrician, who may refer you to a specialist. An audiologist will perform various tests in each ear and at different levels of volume, resulting in an audiologic evaluation. Other professionals who may help identify an APD or rule out other disorders include a special education teacher, a speech-language pathologist and a mental health professional.
Considerations
In an article in ADDitude Magazine, Dr. Jack Katz identifies three conditions that result in a diagnosis of auditory processing disorder, including sound discrimination problems, auditory memory problems and language processing problems.
