Quality of Life Ideas To Help Your APD Child

Auditory processing disorder accommodations that improve the quality of life for a child with APD take some effort but can make a real difference – at home, at school, today, and in the future.

There are environmental tweaks at home and at school for children with an APD diagnosis that require, at first, an understanding of what your child’s day is like and what the path looks like to a life with reduced or no APD symptoms.

First, for children with APD, listening has been compared to sound through water. Think about how many consequences there are from needing to work so hard on listening and what your child’s day is like – this “day in the life of an APD child” explains. The impact of APD and learning here.

This article examines practical auditory processing disorder accommodations that – in addition to positive parenting techniques – can promote your child’s growth and enhance their listening and communication abilities.

Lifestyle Changes For Supporting Children With APD

Lifestyle changes refer to changes in habits, routines, or the ideal environment for supporting children with APD. The goal is to make life less exhausting, less frustrating, and more rewarding, which can build self-esteem and encourage continued engagement in learning. Here are some ideas.

1. Reducing Background Noise

Have you ever attempted to speak with someone when there is a lot of background noise? It is challenging to make out the words, and the process of trying to make out the words – the listening – takes a lot of concentration. This is the daily reality for children with APD.

Recognizing when noisy backgrounds might affect your child, and then thinking about practical ways to support them in those situations, is a good starting point. So how can you reduce background noise at home or in the classroom? Here are a few strategies for different environments:

Supporting children with APD in the classroom:

1. Classroom Design:  Talk to your child’s teacher about setting up the classroom to minimize noise and distractions. For instance, carpeting or area rugs can absorb sound, as can soft wall coverings or acoustic panels. it might also be possible to position your child’s desk away from noisy areas, such as doors that go out to a noisy hallway or windows facing a noisy playground.
2. Preferential Seating: The most common auditory processing disorder accommodations involve class placement. It’s simple.  The closer to the front, the better. The further away from noisy fans, etc., the better.
3. Visual Supports: Encourage your child’s teacher to supplement auditory information with visual aids, such as written instructions, visual schedules, or diagrams, to help your child better understand and follow along with the lesson.

Supporting children with APD on the playground:

1. Designated Quiet Areas: Could the school create designated quiet areas on the playground where the child can retreat when the noise becomes overwhelming? These areas could include seating or designated spots where your child can find respite from excessive noise.
2. Sensory Breaks: If your child’s APD includes sensory overload, ask the teacher about scheduling regular sensory breaks during recess or playtime, where your child can engage in calming activities in a quieter setting. This can help regulate sensory input and reduce stress.
3. Communication Tools: Equip your child with assistive devices, such as FM or personal amplification systems, to help them better hear and understand conversations in noisy environments.

Supporting children with APD at home:

1. Quiet Study Space: Set up a dedicated study area at home that is free from excessive noise. Use noise-absorbing materials like curtains, rugs, or foam panels to reduce background noise. Similarly, be sensitive to the noise created by other family members and its impact on your child with APD.
2. Limit Electronic Devices: When the child needs to concentrate or communicate, minimize electronic devices that produce background noise, such as TVs or radios.
3. Communication Strategies: Teach family members to reduce background noise when speaking to the child. Encourage them to face the child directly, speak clearly and slowly, and minimize background distractions like loud music or conversation.
4. Ear Protectors: Consider providing the child with ear protectors or noise-canceling headphones during activities with excessive noise, such as household chores or social gatherings.

Remember, collaborate with teachers, therapists, and other professionals involved in the child’s care to tailor interventions and accommodations to the child’s specific needs and preferences.

2. Add More Listening To Your Child’s Day

The reason auditory processing disorder accommodations are even needed comes down to under-developed language processing skills. Anything that engages your child in listening is helpful.

Now, remember that if listening is like hearing sound through water, your child will avoid it, So your ideas need to be engaging!

1. Word Association Games: Play word association games where you take turns saying a word, and the child has to respond with a related word. This game helps improve listening and quick-thinking skills.
2. Simon Says: Play the classic game of Simon Says, where the child must listen carefully and follow instructions. This game helps develop auditory attention and processing skills.
3. Sound Scavenger Hunt: Create a scavenger hunt where the child listens for specific sounds in their environment. For example, they might need to find and identify the sound of a ticking clock, running water, or chirping birds. This activity enhances auditory discrimination and sound awareness.
4. Storytelling with a Twist: Read a story to the child but intentionally change certain details or events. Afterward, discuss what was different and encourage the child to actively listen for those changes. This activity improves listening comprehension and attention to detail.
5. Following Directions: Provide the child with instructions on how to complete a task, such as building a tower with blocks or drawing a specific picture. As the child becomes more proficient, the instructions are progressively more complex. This activity strengthens auditory processing and working memory skills.
6. Auditory Memory Games: Play games that challenge auditory memory, such as “I’m Going on a Picnic” or “Memory Chain.” In these games, participants take turns adding an item to a list and recalling the previous items correctly. This activity enhances the child’s ability to remember and recall auditory information.
7. Listening to Audio Books: Folks from prior generations needing to come up with auditory processing disorder accommodations must be envious that now there are audiobooks, podcasts, even YouTube. There are so many places for child to listen and practice comprehension skills
8. Musical Activities: Engage the child in musical activities that promote active listening, such as playing musical instruments, singing along to songs, or participating in rhythm exercises. These activities enhance auditory discrimination and temporal processing skills. For younger children, consider classical music – either just a Mozart playlist or in a more formal way using The Listening Program or similar.
9. Reading to Your Child. There is so much research on the power of a nightly reading ritual, so whatever you are doing, don’t leave out reading aloud to your child.

Remember to make these activities enjoyable and age-appropriate to maintain the child’s engagement and motivation. Regular practice and repetition will help the child develop and strengthen their listening skills over time.

3. Using Visual Aids

Using visual aids can be a helpful strategy for supporting children with APD – with homework, prepping for a test, or even helping convey what a coach might be saying in a situation where your child did not understand. Visuals can help. Here are some suggestions on how to incorporate visual aids:

1. Visual Schedules: Create a visual schedule or checklist that outlines the steps or tasks involved in completing the homework. This will help the child understand the sequence of activities and provide a visual reference to keep track of their progress.
2. Charts and Diagrams: To help the child organize and implement graphic organizers such as charts, diagrams, mind maps, concept webs, or flowcharts. These visual tools can help the child outline the structure of their assignments or break down complex tasks into more manageable components.
3. Visual Timers: Use visual timers or countdown clocks to help the child manage their time effectively while working on homework. This provides a visual representation of the remaining time and helps them stay on track.
4. Color Coding: Introduce a color-coding system to visually differentiate different subjects, topics, or types of homework assignments. For instance, you can assign specific colors to math, language arts, and science assignments, making it easier for the child to locate and prioritize their work.
5. Photo Examples: Use visual examples or models to illustrate concepts or problem-solving strategies. This can include photos, diagrams, charts, or visual representations of mathematical or scientific processes. Visual examples help the child better comprehend and apply the information.

By incorporating visual aids, you can enhance the child’s understanding, organization, and recall of information while working on homework. It’s important to identify the types of visual aids that work best for your child and tailor them to their individual needs and learning styles.

4. Patience, Providing Extra Time

Many of the school-based auditory processing disorder accommodations involve providing more time, as most children with APD need more time.

For them, any conversational response that happens simultaneously for efficient listeners requires three sequential steps for APD children:

1. Make out the words
2. Connect those words to meaning
3. Think about the meaning

Then make a response.

That’s why providing extra time for children with APD is so helpful. Here are some strategies:

If you’re concerned about your child’s listening and communication skills, seeking professional help can be a valuable step in supporting their development. Gemm Learning provides APD treatment at home with professional oversight.

Final Note

There are two strands to your child’s journey where you can help:

• Managing the day-to-day
• Activities that work toward a better future, hopefully free of APD

Keep in mind that every child is unique, so what suits one child may not suit another.

Gemm Learning provides interventions at home for APD that exercise APD at its source. We used neuroscience-based Fast ForWord software. If you are unsure, call for a free consultation to find out if your child is a candidate for our programs.