What is auditory processing disorder?

Auditory processing disorder (APD) is an issue with analyzing and understanding sounds without associated hearing loss. In other words, people with APD hear well, but don’t always understand well. They have more trouble analyzing and memorizing the information they hear.

Central auditory processing disorder affects 2–3% of the population. It is fairly common in adults with brain injuries and very common in seniors.

Symptoms

Here are some of the symptoms of auditory processing disorder:

• Trouble understanding speech in noise
• Trouble distinguishing between similar sounds
• Trouble interpreting spoken messages
• Trouble following simple or complex instructions
• Trouble understanding fast speech
• Learning disabilities (reading, writing)

Causes

Most of the time, the cause of central auditory processing disorder is unknown. However, developmental delays, neurological issues or developmental disabilities can all cause APD. Recurring ear infections are often pointed out because the hearing loss associated with ear infections makes hearing skills more difficult to develop.

Recommendations

There are ways to reduce the problems caused by auditory processing disorder. These may include audiological rehabilitation, listening strategies and modifying the environment to reduce ambient noise. An FM system is often recommended for students. With this system, the teacher wears a microphone that transmits their speech directly to the person with APD (via headphones or hearing aids).

If a child is having problems at school, it is recommended to have their hearing assessed. This will test their hearing acuity and auditory processing skills. If needed, the audiologist may refer the child to a speech-language pathologist.