AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDER

For communication, listening is the skill first learned, most used and least taught. Weaknesses in auditory processing can cause individuals to struggle with some or all listening activities. Adults and children who are diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) have a very difficult time listening, even though their hearing is within normal limits. Individuals with APD are often identified as “underachievers” in school, where listening is the primary modality for learning. In addition to academic difficulties, especially in reading and spelling, signs of APD include:

North Florida Center for Speech and Hearing offers comprehensive therapy services for children and adults with Auditory Processing Disorder. In addition to our audiologist’s and speech-language pathologist’s recommendations, input and participation from parents, family members, and teachers are vital contributions. Based on an individual’s specific needs, a management plan for APD often incorporates a combination of “top down” and “bottom up” strategies. “Top down” strategies focus on strengthening auditory discrimination skills and developing meta-linguistic and cognitive compensatory behaviors that improve an individual’s capacity for listening. “Bottom up” strategies enhance the perceptual quality of the auditory signal itself. Specific reading and spelling interventions may also be recommended.