How CAPD Affects Children

The importance of early intervention if needed

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) is one of the most frustrating disorders for children. This hearing disability inhibits a child from processing sounds that they hear, which can cause extreme difficulties in the classroom.

How It Feels To Have Auditory Processing Difficulties

To better understand how CAPD affects children, imagine you are a young student with CAPD in a classroom setting:

You see your teacher speaking but don’t understand what she’s saying. The situation seems to get better once the teacher tells everyone to settle down, but only for awhile. Then her words become difficult to understand again.
The words are familiar, but it seems that the teacher mixed them up. This confuses you, and it takes time to determine what the proper word should have been. It’s exhausting. Before you can choose the proper word or order, the teacher moves on to a new concept.

And then she calls on you. Great! This is just what I need!  You ask the teacher to repeat the question, and everyone laughs.

You feel shame. However, you remember what your mom said about always doing your best, and you give your best answer. The class laughs again. The shame returns.

Next the teacher makes a comment about you not being so bright. This isn’t the first time you’ve heard these words. More shame.

I want to hide. You want to bury your head under a book or inside your desk. You’re tired of all this shame.

Oh no! Now she’s calling on me to read out loud in front of the class! Your reading skills are poor because you can’t seem to sound out the new difficult words.

More embarrassment. More shame. Another bad day at school.

You begin to make decisions about learning.

Learning isn’t fun. Learning comes with punishment. Learning is difficult and too much hard work. I must be ‘dumb’ if I can’t even answer a question correctly, especially when the teacher tells the class the answer before the question was asked.

This cycle of shame, guilt and fear goes on for hours. The only reprieves are during breaks and lunch.

But even then, kids are teasing you about answering the questions wrong again.

When will the day end? When will anyone ever understand you (and your CAPD)?

You go home at the end of the day. It’s supposed to be a safe haven there.

What’s that, Mom? I didn’t hear you… Could you tell me where we’re going?

What you can do for your CAPD child

The scenario continues. It never ends for a child with CAPD.

That is, until you, the parent, intervene and find help for your child. Having a child with CAPD isn’t your fault as a parent. No one knows exactly how the disorder occurs, and no one blames you.

But think about it. What would your child’s life be like without CAPD? How would his behavior be different? What about his confidence? What about his love for school – and learning? The only solution to CAPD is to re-train the brain with auditory processing software that teaches your child to hear the sounds he’s missing.

If you suspect your child has CAPD, don’t wait. Get him into a program that helps both of you get help, and learn how CAPD affects children. Saving him embarrassment and shame will protect his soul and restore his confidence in school, himself and life.