Auditory processing disorders in children involve inability to properly process what is heard. The anatomical area involved is the central auditory pathway (beyond the inner ear). Auditory processing is described as “what we do with what we hear”. Symptoms include difficulty understanding when in background noise, auditory memory problems, telling similar speech sounds apart, following directions, difficulty with reading and spelling, and in understanding information presented in the classroom. APD can affect a child’s success in the classroom and is sometimes overlooked. A basic hearing test will not detect an auditory processing problem. A multidisciplinary team is needed to diagnose APD, with a specialized test battery administered by an audiologist, with the assistance of tests given by a speech-language pathologist. Highly individualized treatment programs are needed for intervention.
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