Auditory processing disorder
Introduction
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a hearing or listening problem caused by the brain not processing sounds in the normal way.
It canaffect your ability to:
- pinpointwhere asound is coming from
- tell which sound comes before another
- distinguish similar sounds from one another such as"seventy" and "seventeen"
- understand speech particularlyifthere's background noise, more than one person speaking, the person is speaking quickly, or the sound quality is poor
- remember instructions you've been told
- enjoy music
Children with the problem may also have difficultyresponding to sounds, understanding things they're told, concentrating, and expressing themselves with speech. Theirreading and spelling may also be affected.
Many people find the condition becomesless ofan issueover time as they develop the skills to deal with it. Children may need extra help and support at school, but they can be just as successful as their classmates.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 13 Jun 2016
Introduction
An auditory processing disorder is a hearing problem caused by the brain not processing sounds in the normal way. Find out about the symptoms, causes and treatments.
Who is affected?
Auditory processing disorder affects people of all ages. Many cases start in childhood, althoughit sometimes can develop in adults. Childrenwith auditory processing disorder may havenoticeable proble
What causes auditory processing disorder?
Exactly what causes auditory processing disorder isn't fully understood. Sometimes a possible underlying factor is identified, but not always. In children, the condition may occur after a persistent
How your GP can help
You should visit your GP if you think you or your child may have a hearing problem such as auditory processing disorder. They may refer youto an audiologist (hearing specialist) for some tests. Thete
Howauditory processing disorder is managed
There's currently no cure for auditory processing disorder, but there are a number of strategies that can helpyou cope with the condition. Some of these are outlined below. Auditory training You may
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