Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

Diagnosing auditory processing disorder (APD) involves a combination of medical evaluation, hearing tests, and input from specialists.

Initial Evaluation: Your healthcare team asks about symptoms, how long they have been present, and any difficulties in hearing or understanding speech.
Specialist Involvement:
- Audiologists: Perform detailed hearing tests.
- Speech-language pathologists: Assess language use and comprehension.
- Psychologists: Evaluate cognitive and attention-related factors.
- Teachers (for children): Observe learning and attention in educational settings.

Auditory testing helps determine where hearing or processing issues occur:

Tympanometry: Measures eardrum movement to ensure proper hearing function.
Acoustic Reflex Test: Checks the ear’s response to loud sounds.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): Evaluates how well sound signals travel from the cochlea to the brain. Sensors placed on the head detect nerve responses to clicking sounds.
Evoked Potential Test: Measures sound transmission along the nerves connecting the ears to the brain. Sensors capture how well sounds reach different brain areas.

Not everyone with APD requires treatment. If treatment is needed, it is personalized and may include:

Hearing aids with wireless listening devices can help direct sound from the source to your ear.
Frequency-modulated (FM) systems work with hearing aids to make sounds clearer, especially in noisy environments.

Also called hearing rehabilitation, this therapy helps the brain distinguish between different sounds:

Trained one-on-one with a therapist or in group sessions.
Exercises involve differentiating loud and soft sounds, fast and slow sounds, and sounds coming from different directions.
Focuses on distinguishing speech sounds, which improves comprehension and communication.

Overview