
Attention deficit disorder should also be ruled out.Īuditory processing disorder can be difficult to live with, both for the person with the disorder and the people in their lives. Because the evaluation requires feedback from the person being evaluated, their cognitive skills should be average and their language skills should be normal or only mildly delayed. Children who show symptoms of APD should also be at least seven to eight years old, as it is difficult to accurately evaluate younger children.Ī hearing test should be completed prior to an auditory processing evaluation. Prior to an auditory processing evaluation, other evaluations and tests should be done to rule out common disorders and abnormalities. Requirements for auditory processing evaluation Verbal requests are often met with “huh,” even after several repetitions.Appearance of day dreaming or not listening.Short auditory attention span easily tired or bored during required listening activities.Easily distracted, impulsive and frustrated when too much noise is present.Difficulty following complex oral instructions.Difficulty listening in background noise.Symptoms of the disorder are almost always worsened by noisy or highly stimulating environments.

Symptoms of auditory processing disorderĪuditory processing disorder can look different in each individual. It can be frustrating and the person with the disorder has no control over their ability or inability to process auditory signals in certain situations.

This is just one example of what it may be like to have auditory processing disorder. You look up, only to realize that everyone in the room has been trying to get your attention verbally. Finally, she comes and touches your shoulder and says your name. When the teacher calls your name several times, you don’t hear her. Because of this, you decide to focus instead on drawing on your paper. The teacher is speaking, but you find it very hard to follow what she is saying because of the background noise. To get an idea of what it is like to have auditory processing disorder, imagine that you are in a noisy room, such as a classroom.

Understanding auditory processing disorder It’s important that individuals, especially children, be evaluated as soon as they show signs of a possible auditory processing issue. This comprehensive testing is used to evaluate if the brain is having difficulty processing auditory signals.īeing able to hear and recognize sounds properly is important for speech and language development, social development and learning. An auditory processing disorder (APD) affects the brain’s ability to process or interpret auditory information correctly.Īfter other issues, such as hearing loss, developmental or behavioral disorders have been ruled out, an auditory processing evaluation can be done to determine if a person has an auditory processing disorder. It is when this process, despite normal hearing acuity, is somehow disrupted that a disorder is present. Evaluations for Auditory Processing DisorderĪuditory processing is the term used to describe how your brain recognizes and interprets sounds.
