Auditory Processing Disorder: Treatment Options
Auditory processing disorders (APD) involve difficulties in integrating auditory information and recognizing, discriminating, and understanding spoken language. This is especially true when listening environments are challenging, such as when noise or distance from a speaker is a factor. These disorders can contribute to difficulties with language development, speech comprehension, reading, word retrieval, language organization skills, and memory.
Information Processing Model
Diagnosis of Auditory Processing Disorder
To be diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder, an individual must be at least 7 years old. They also need to have peripheral hearing within normal limits, as determined by an audiologist's hearing evaluation. An individual cannot have significant hearing loss to be diagnosed with APD.
Diagnosis is made by an audiologist after completing a battery of tests. These tests are performed in conjunction with a complete speech, language, and auditory processing evaluation by a speech-language pathologist. The speech-language pathologist then determines the need for therapeutic intervention.
Therapy for Auditory Processing Disorder
Auditory processing involves a wide array of skills. Once a patient is diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder, a speech-language pathologist will design a therapy program. The frequency of service will specifically address individual areas of need identified during the evaluation process.
For pediatric patients, parental involvement in the therapeutic process is essential. This involvement ensures the transference of goals and objectives into the home and other environments.
Key Components of APD Therapy
- Auditory Discrimination: Distinguishing between similar sounds.
- Auditory Memory: Remembering and recalling auditory information.
- Auditory Figure-Ground Discrimination: Focusing on relevant sounds in the presence of background noise.
- Auditory Closure: Understanding words or phrases even when parts are missing.
Auditory Processing Disorder Symptoms