Definition:
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a condition that makes it hard for people to recognize subtle differences between sounds in words. It affects their ability to process what other people are saying. APD refers to how the central nervous system uses auditory information. Students with APD can qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) under the Specific Learning Disabilities or Learning Disabilities category. (Auditory Processing Disorder, n.d.)
Causes:
The exact cause of APD is not known, however, it has been linked to premature birth, head trauma, chronic ear infections, and lead poisoning.
Symptoms:
According to ASHA (2014), Some skills that are commonly affected in people with APD are communication, academics, and social skills. However, it is important to note that APD affects people differently. People with APD may have difficulty speaking clearly. They may drop the end sounds of words or may confuse words that sound similar. Students with APD often have difficulty with spelling, reading, and writing skills. As for social skills, students with APD may avoid talking to classmates for fear of misunderstanding them. APD affects the way people process auditory information. It may affect auditory discrimination, auditory memory, or auditory sequencing.
Some common symptoms are:
APD is not a hearing disorder. People with APD hear fine, they just do not process the information clearly.
Statistics:
Here is a link to a video that would help parents or teachers better understand APD and how it affects students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPgSwTOpixE
Simulation:
Students can be introduced to APD by completing a short activity helping them to realize the difficulties students with APD may face in the classroom. The teacher can put these following sentences on the board and then read them to the class.
Ask students what these sentences mean. Discuss possible ideas. Then show students what they actual sentences are and explain that some people with APD hear things differently than they were meant to be heard. Discuss how this may be difficult for someone.
Then they can watch a simulation of how APD affects students auditory processing. Here is the link to a video that gives a simulation of what it is like to have APD. It shows people what students with APD may hear when they are in the classroom and the difficulties they may face.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzegGXoZY30
Scenarios:
Books:
Resources for Parents:
Compiled by Rachel Erie
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a condition that makes it hard for people to recognize subtle differences between sounds in words. It affects their ability to process what other people are saying. APD refers to how the central nervous system uses auditory information. Students with APD can qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP) under the Specific Learning Disabilities or Learning Disabilities category. (Auditory Processing Disorder, n.d.)
Causes:
The exact cause of APD is not known, however, it has been linked to premature birth, head trauma, chronic ear infections, and lead poisoning.
Symptoms:
According to ASHA (2014), Some skills that are commonly affected in people with APD are communication, academics, and social skills. However, it is important to note that APD affects people differently. People with APD may have difficulty speaking clearly. They may drop the end sounds of words or may confuse words that sound similar. Students with APD often have difficulty with spelling, reading, and writing skills. As for social skills, students with APD may avoid talking to classmates for fear of misunderstanding them. APD affects the way people process auditory information. It may affect auditory discrimination, auditory memory, or auditory sequencing.
Some common symptoms are:
- Difficulty understanding spoken directions
- Asking speakers to repeat what they have said
- Being easily distracted by noises
- Experiencing struggle with oral math problems
- Having difficulty following oral conversations
- Having poor musical ability
- Finding it hard to learn songs or nursery rhymes (What is APD?, n.d.)
APD is not a hearing disorder. People with APD hear fine, they just do not process the information clearly.
Statistics:
- When analyzing case history information from 111 children with CAPD, our statistics indicate that 72% are easily frustrated, 77% are easily distracted, 60% are forgetful, and 78% have difficulty following verbal directions. (What is APD?, n.d.)
- According to the NCAPD (2014), The number of children with APD is estimated to be 2 to 7 percent. Some experts estimate that boys are twice as likely as girls to have auditory processing disorder, but there’s no solid research to prove that.
- 17- 20% of adults have APD. (Williford and Goehring, 2011)
- Preferential seating
- Classroom visuals
- Quiet rooms for taking tests
- More time to finish assignments or tests
- Assistive technology like a tape recorder so the student can listen to the instructions more than once
- Allow students time to process information
- Give visual cues
- Show rather than explain
- Vary pitch and tone (Auditory Processing Disorder, n.d.)
- Changes to make assignments visual or kinesthetic based instead of oral/auditory
- Visual instruction for standardized tests
Here is a link to a video that would help parents or teachers better understand APD and how it affects students.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPgSwTOpixE
Simulation:
Students can be introduced to APD by completing a short activity helping them to realize the difficulties students with APD may face in the classroom. The teacher can put these following sentences on the board and then read them to the class.
- Law tent britches full in town.
- Ah waits beep a light.
- Ah swell attends swell.
Ask students what these sentences mean. Discuss possible ideas. Then show students what they actual sentences are and explain that some people with APD hear things differently than they were meant to be heard. Discuss how this may be difficult for someone.
- London Bridge is falling down
- Always be polite.
- All's well that ends well. (Willison & Goehring, 2011)
Then they can watch a simulation of how APD affects students auditory processing. Here is the link to a video that gives a simulation of what it is like to have APD. It shows people what students with APD may hear when they are in the classroom and the difficulties they may face.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzegGXoZY30
Scenarios:
- A kindergarten students has APD. She has difficulty processing auditory information and she shys away from talking to her peers. She has trouble with instructions given orally. Some accommodations I would recommend for her in the classroom would be to give her visual instructions and use cues or gestures when giving her auditory information. I would also give her more time to respond to auditory stimulus. I would also encourage her to interact with her classmates and I would have an inclusive classroom where everyone feels safe to express themselves and make mistakes. I would also educate her peers about APD using a simulation. For a modification, I would give her visual instructions for standardized tests if possible.
- A third grader has APD. He has difficulty processing auditory information. He also has difficulty with reading and recognizing the sounds that letters make. I would recommend that he would have accommodations made for him in the classroom. I would give him visual information and use cues or gestures when speaking to him. I would also recommend a reading intervention to help this student with phonics and phonemic awareness.
Books:
- Maximize Your Abilities - Living with CAPD: Central Auditory Processing Disorder by Christopher Rawlins
- I Get It! I Get It! How John Figures It Out by Yvonne Capitelli
- Special People Special Ways by Arlene Maguire
Resources for Parents:
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: This association gives information about APD and how parents can help their child thrive with APD. This information can be accessed online at: http://www.asha.org/public/hearing/Understanding-Auditory-Processing-Disorders-in-Children/
- National Coalition of Auditory Processing Disorder: This coalition provides information to parents about APD. It also collects anecdotes from children with APD and features them on their website for parents to read. This information can be accessed online at: http://www.ncapd.org/What_is_APD_.htm
- When the Brain Can't Hear: Unraveling the Mystery of Auditory Processing Disorder by Dr. Teri Bellis: This book is a great read for teachers or parents of students with APD. It provides information and helpful hints about helping students to achieve. This book can be bought from Amazon or Barnes and Noble
- Like Sound Through Water: A Mother's Journey Through Auditory Processing Disorder by Karen Foli: This book is about a mother who has a child with APD. It features their journey as she discovered something was different about her child and how he was diagnosed. This would be a great read for parents going through the same process. This book can be bought online from Amazon.
- Auditory Processing Disorder Foundation: This foundation promotes awareness about APD and gives information to parents of children with APD. It also raises money to help students with APD and provide scholarships. This information can be accessed online at: http://www.theapdfoundation.org/
Compiled by Rachel Erie