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Children with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), can leave their teachers, parents, and even therapists scratching their heads wondering what is wrong? Where is the breakdown? These children will often slip through the system without getting the help they need because they are seen as inattentive or “not trying.”
APD is an auditory deficit that interferes with how the brain processes spoken language. It is neurologically based, meaning that the way the central nervous system processes auditory input is atypical. Children with APD have hearing that is adequate yet, they still have difficulty processing verbal instructions, filtering out background noise, and telling the difference between similar speech sounds.
In a classroom, these children will have trouble with information that is presented orally. They have difficulty learning to read. Remembering what they hear and following directions is a challenge. They may look like they have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) because of their difficulty in attending to a task.
Symptoms of APD can easily be misdiagnosed or overlooked. SCT combines our clinical expertise and training to administer the appropriate diagnostic tests that evaluate a child’s receptive and expressive language. These results will often reveal difficulties with APD. Our therapists combine the test results with information and reports from the child’s school and home that provide a framework for therapy intervention and referrals for further APD testing.
Once we have all of the diagnostic information, we are able to develop a comprehensive therapy plan that addresses specific APD goals specifically designed for each client. Our therapists work one on one with each client to increase auditory processing and are able to identify appropriate strategies that will improve auditory processing for each child in their home and school environments.
The actual diagnosis of APD must come from an audiologist who will administer a variety of tests that require the listener to attend and respond to differing signals, recognize order and patterns of auditory signals, and make sense of incomplete auditory information.
Even though the actual diagnosis comes from an audiologist, a multidisciplinary team approach is needed to fully understand the individual child’s issues. Critical information from a speech-language pathologist, the child’s teacher, psychologist, and audiologist give a complete view of how the child is impacted by APD.
A comprehensive evaluation by a speech-language pathologist will help to pinpoint areas of difficulty in your child’s language processing and determine if an APD evaluation is needed. If you are concerned about the possibility of your child having Auditory Processing Disorder, talk with your pediatrician, who can help guide you to the appropriate resources.
How common is Auditory Processing Disorder?
About 5% of the school age population is affected.
At what age can Auditory Processing Disorder be diagnosed?
Due to brain development and growth, testing for APD is typically not done until a child is 7-8 years old.
How do I know if I should seek help?
If your child is having difficulty with:
An evaluation by a speech-language pathologist knowledgeable in the area of APD, can help sort out the causes and determine if a full APD evaluation is warranted.
Does insurance cover Auditory Processing therapy?
If your insurance covers speech therapy, it should cover APD therapy as well. Check with your insurance for details on your specific plan.
Seeking out speech therapy for your child can seem overwhelming, but SCT is always ready to help.
If you're not sure if your child needs our services or you have questions about billing, insurance, evaluations or screenings, don’t hesitate to contact us.
If you prefer to speak with someone during business hours call us at (425) 557-6657