What Is Auditory Processing Disorder?

Definition of Auditory Processing Diagnosis

Auditory processing disorder (or central auditory processing disorder/ CAPD) is the role the brain plays in the hearing process which ultimately enables us to develop learning skills. Since the majority of early learning is auditory, a weakness in how language is processed can lead to delayed development in a number of other learning skills, including reading which requires language dexterity.
Auditory processing disorder symptoms

Auditory processing deficits are complicated because the cognitive skills involved are integrated and therefore hard to separate. Learn more about how auditory processing deficits are defined and in this link about auditory processing categories and sub types.

Auditory Processing Impacts All Learning

Central auditory processing disorder is a cognitive skill that, left untreated, undermines learning success throughout life in a number of ways.

Auditory Processing Impacts Basic Learning Skills
A number of basic learning tasks require sound auditory processing skills. Listening in class is perhaps the most obvious -- if the teacher is talking at 50 miles per hour and your child is only able to process at 45 mph, a lot of instruction is missed. This difficulty also impedes development of other essentials skills, such as memory and attention stamina. As important, auditory processing disorder also impacts reading. In many cases, auditory processing makes learning to sound out challenging, leading to difficulty getting started with reading.
Auditory processing and reading

Auditory Processing Impacts Thinking and Reasoning
The extra concentration required for listening and reading for children with auditory processing disorder impedes the development of metacognition, the ability to think critically while reading or listening. A student that is preoccupied with basic decoding will not develop logic or reasoning skills. These are the skills that ultimately define academic success.

About Auditory Processing Disorder

Auditory processing disorders are responsible for a wide range of learning and reading issues and yet it is an unfamiliar term to most parents. Here is what you need to know about an auditory processing disorder diagnosis:

Why Auditory Processing Disorders Are Common
Auditory processing disorders are estimated to affect 17-20% of the population, most often going undiagnosed as the cause of a wide range of reading and learning skills. Processing language at natural language speed is one of the most demanding tasks the brain needs to learn. Many children do eventually learn to process accurately, but not automatically as is required for higher level skill development.
Auditory processing in children impacts learning

Quick Key Facts
Auditory processing disorder is a learning dysfunction that is not well understood. Most importantly, it is thought of as a spoken language disorder only. But because inefficient processing occupies so much mind space, its impact on learning is far more serious. Here are some things you may not have known:

• Auditory processing disorders are often referred to as central auditory processing disorders (CAPD)


• Auditory processing disorders can occur without any kind of hearing loss. In fact in most cases hearing is healthy


• Like all learning disabilities, auditory processing disorders can be a lifelong challenge if left untreated


• Auditory processing disorders may run in families


• Auditory processing disorders can affect a person's ability to interact socially

Many of the difficulties experienced by people with auditory processing disorders are also common in people with attention deficit disorders
Attention deficit disorder in children

For more FAQ on auditory processing disorders and our auditory processing software, follow this link:
Auditory processing disorder FAQ's

How Auditory Processing Impacts The School Day

Enthusiasm for learning is inextricably tied to the daily educational experience. Auditory processing disorder can make for a miserable school day, erode confidence and undermine the love of learning we are all born with. For instance, consider these classic auditory processing disorder symptoms:

• If instruction is coming at a student faster then he or she can absorb it, the teacher will be hard to follow, making time in class exhausting, difficult or downright impossible. With CAPD children will habitually miss huge chunks of information, misunderstand or simply tune out.
  
  
• It may be hard to gather directions for homework assignments.
  
  
• Nuances of peer conversation and jokes may be hard to pick up, creating social discomfort.
  
  
• Reading is almost always affected by auditory processing difficulties, because it undermines development of phonological awareness required for fluent decoding, creating anxiety at reading time, reading math problems, etc.

These symptoms and others undermine learning in a fundamental way leading to homework frustration and/or disappointing grades. Auditory processing is the most fundamental of all skills. Language is our learning operating system. We think in English. Auditory processing disorder impacts dexterity and fluidity with language -- it slows down or creates noise in how we think.
More about auditory processing and learning

Auditory Processing Disorder Treatment

Auditory processing disorder is a lifetime problem if left untreated. While early symptoms -- speech delays, difficulties with reading -- tend to fade over time as the skills are practiced hard at school and/or with tutors, the underlying disorder does not go away. It simply morphs from a visible difficulty into a less visible problem that creates learning inefficiencies at every step to undermine academic success. This more insidious impact is why parents consider an auditory processing program like Fast ForWord, offered by Gemm Learning.
Auditory processing disorder treatment