We’ve all been there…frustrated at having to ask our child to do something multiple times, and them acting like they haven’t heard us. While for most of us, this can be due to our child being hyper focused in something they are doing at the moment, for others, this struggle is real and impacts many areas of their lives.

Our ability to hear and process sound is vital to our communication and social interaction. People who struggle with auditory processing disorder can have normal ability to hear sound, however, their ability to interpret and comprehend the sound is affected. This can be frustrating for parents who may have difficulty understanding why their child passed his hearing exam with flying colors, yet can’t follow simple spoken directions.

In this blog, we will explore auditory processing disorder to better understand what it is and how it affects those we love.

What is Auditory Processing Disorder?

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a condition in which the brain has difficulty processing and interpreting sounds. This means that a person with APD may hear the exact words spoken to them, but not comprehend the exact meaning of those words. APD can affect people of all ages and can result from several different factors.

Benefits of Treatment for Auditory Processing Disorder:

Improved communication

One of the main reasons why treatment for auditory processing disorder is so critical is because it can greatly improve communication. People with APD often struggle to differentiate between similar sounds, such as “b” and “d” or “p”.  This makes it difficult for them to understand spoken language and can lead to miscommunications in social, professional, and academic settings. Treatment can help individuals with APD to better understand and process speech, ultimately improving their ability to communicate with others.

Increased socialization

People with APD may struggle to follow group conversations, understand jokes, or recognize emotions when conveyed during conversation. This can make navigating social situations difficult and can lead to feelings of isolation. Treatment can help individuals with APD learn to process and interpret the sounds and nuances of speech more accurately, thereby improving their ability to interact with peers.

Enhanced academic performance

APD can also impact academic performance. Children with APD may struggle to understand spoken instructions or follow along in class. Since a good portion of information in a classroom setting is transmitted verbally, students with APD are at a distinct disadvantage. In addition to struggles comprehending verbal information, students with APD often process ideas and thoughts more slowly, have difficulty explaining their ideas verbally, may mispronounce/misspell/or confuse similar sounding words, have difficulty remembering oral directions, and can have difficulty remaining focused. Often times, people with APD can be thought to ignore people or be “lost in their own world.” Treatment can significantly improve one’s ability to understand the sounds and words they hear, ultimately improving their ability to learn, focus, and retain information.