This is due to age-related variability in brain function, language proficiency, and cognitive status.Ī comprehensive audiologic evaluation (CAE) is recommended for all individuals suspected of having APD, as even a mild hearing loss can cause difficulties similar to those commonly associated with APD. Individuals 7 years of age or older can be tested for APD. Common estimates regarding the prevalence of APD in the pediatric population are low (2-3%), with a higher estimated prevalence in older adults.Īge is a primary consideration for the evaluation of APD in children. There is no uniform criteria for the assessment and diagnosis of APD and therefore estimates to the prevalence of APD are variable. Neurological disorder, disease, or lesionsĪdditionally, there can be more than one cause of APD.The etiology of APD is often unknown, although evidence suggests that causes and risk factors for APD may include: It is also important to note that in children, APD may coexist with other disorders, including language, reading, learning, or attention deficit These, and other common signs of APD, are not unique to APD and should not be treated as definitive signs that an APD is present. Academic difficulties, including reading, spelling, and learning problems.Difficulty following verbal directions or commands.Frequent requests for repetitions of what was said (saying “huh” and “what”).Difficulty understanding rapid, muffled, or distorted speech.Difficulty understanding speech in the presence of background noise.

The American Academy of Audiology (AAA) and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) report that common signs/symptoms of APD may include: What are potential signs/symptoms of APD? A third, hybrid term “(Central) Auditory Processing Disorder” (APD), also exists. The terms “Auditory Processing Disorder” and “Central Auditory Processing Disorder” are used interchangeably in the literature to describe the same entity. Is there a difference between Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) and Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)? APD may be suspected in individuals who display such difficulties but are found to have normal hearing sensitivity.

The effect of APD can be worsened by the presence of other conditions, such as dyslexia, language processing difficulties, poor attention and poor short-term memory.Auditory Processing Disorder: Frequently Asked Questions What is Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)?Īuditory processing disorder is a term used to describe listening difficulties resulting from dysfunction in the central auditory nervous system (CANS). Some children have a greater range of difficulties than others. Once the sound has arrived in the brain, there are problems with interpreting it, for instance, recognising the sound or understanding speech.Įach person is affected in a different way and to a different degree, so APD may be called a ‘spectrum disorder’. It then travels to the brain through the auditory nerve. When someone has APD, sound enters the ear canal and passes through the middle and inner ear as usual. The brain then interprets these nerve impulses as sound. The movement of the fluid in the cochlea stimulates the hair cells inside it to trigger a nerve impulse, which is carried to the brain by the auditory nerve. The sound then passes through the middle ear via the three small bones of hearing (ossicles) on to the inner ear, which is filled with fluid. Sound waves enter the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. The ear consists of three parts, the outer ear, the middle ear and the inner ear. Coming to GOSH for a day or inpatient admissionĬoming to GOSH for an outpatient appointment

Auditory processing disorder