We all know what hearing is. It is a perception of sound that is present around us. It is a highly active process that involves an individual paying attention to what they are hearing. And once you are hearing anything, auditory processing makes it being understood to you. The audio is processed primarily through prior knowledge, language skills, and experiences to give the sound and speech the required meaning. This is undoubtedly a very complex process and the involvement of the brain is crucial here.

What is Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)?

APD is a disorder where an individual faces difficulty in hearing and listening to sounds. This does not happen due to hearing loss or cognitive impairment. It happens normally when individuals find it extremely difficult to understand speech in presence of other background noises. The symptoms of APD can be easily diagnosed by audiologists who are part of a special interdisciplinary team. They conduct highly specified brain tests at the auditory centres to understand the challenges. Upon understanding the situation, they might recommend you different communication strategies, school accommodations, or assistive listening devices.

What are the signs of APD?

People suffering from APD show the following common signs:

• An individual finds it highly difficult to decipher speech in the presence of background noises.
• They ask for repetition of what you just said.
• They are unable to just follow the auditory-only instructions.
• Kids having recurrent ear infections are more prone to having APD.

How can a child be evaluated for APD?

An audiologist identifies the APD in a kid through the standardised auditory processes. The process is initiated by a hearing test that is mostly done at the schools or the doctor’s office. But it must also be understood that it is just a basic screening, the complete evaluation is only done at the audiology chambers. If the hearing is normal, the audiologist might recommend APD testing. This test cannot be performed on kids under 5-7 years of age as the test will require the child to repeat certain words and sentences and for this, they must have proficient knowledge about the same and should know how to follow instructions.

Contact Audiologie Centre Ouest test auditif to get your child the best screening and testing for APD evaluation. The specialist team here is experienced enough and will guide you throughout the process.