Auditory Processing Disorder affects about 5% of school going children
Ever heard of Auditory Processing Disorder?
APD is an umbrella term for a variety of disorders that affect the way the brain processes information received from the ears (auditory perception). It is not a hearing impairment as individuals with APD usually have accurate hearing. But their brains do not process the information they hear in the same way as others do, which leads to difficulties in recognizing and interpreting sounds and speech. APD can affect both children and adults and boys are twice as likely as girls to suffer from this disorder. APD is difficult to diagnose and is often mistaken for ADD/ADHD, Aspergers syndrome and other forms of autism. Scientist don’t know exactly what causes APD, but some evidence suggests that it may be linked to autistic spectrum disorder, dyslexia, middle ear infections and lack of oxygen at birth.
Children with APD:
•Find it difficult to pay attention to and remember oral information and will cope better with information presented visually.
•Will find it difficult to carry out long instructions, instructions often need to be simplified and shortened.
•Need more time to process verbal information.
•Have difficulty with reading and spelling.