Auditory processing disorder (APD) is atypical processing of sound in the brain. Individuals with APD will have limitations in their auditory processing skills.
Myths About Auditory Processing Disorder
The cause of CAPD is not always straightforward. There is dysfunction in the brain that causes this disorder. There are risk factors that can increase the likelihood that an individual has CAPD.
There are many myths that are linked to APD, such as:
There is nothing that can be done to treat auditory processing disorder.
FALSE. There are so many wonderful therapy options now for auditory processing disorder. Research has shown that when an appropriate auditory training therapy is used, major improvements in auditory processing ability can be seen. It is also clear that these improvements are long-lasting when assessed years later. Additional treatment options such as hearing aids, sound field systems, and environmental modifications in a classroom or office can make a world of difference for those with APD.
Auditory processing cannot be diagnosed below age 7.
FALSE. This is an outdated statement that many audiologists were told years ago. Current test materials have a lot of options for testing and diagnosing as young as age 5. There are also some test materials that can be used for younger children to offer screenings as young as age 3.5. If there is a suspicion of APD, children should be tested and diagnosed as young as possible so that appropriate intervention can take place. Even though the central auditory nervous system is still developing, age-appropriate norms are used to identify abnormalities.
If there are other diagnoses, such are ADHD, autism, or intellectual disability, audiologists cannot perform testing.
FALSE. We often see individuals that have other comorbidities. Special care needs to be taken when testing and interpreting results when other diagnoses are present. For example, when someone has an intellectual disability, their mental age needs to be taken into account. It will likely not be appropriate to compare a 10-year-old with the mental age of a 5-year-old to the normative data for 10-year-olds. Looking at the whole picture and interpreting the results with other disabilities in mind is important when evaluating APD.
If someone has hearing loss, they cannot be tested and diagnosed with APD.
FALSE. When an individual with hearing loss is experiencing greater difficulty than expected, an auditory processing evaluation may be appropriate depending on the severity of the hearing loss and word recognition ability. Often those with mild to moderate hearing loss and good word recognition ability are candidates for APD evaluations. Special interpretation is necessary for these evaluations. There are some tests that may not be appropriate to perform given the individual hearing loss. However, certain tests can be performed and interpreted to give us an understanding of their auditory processing ability.
APD is very rare.
FALSE. It is generally thought that about 3 to 7% of the population has auditory processing disorder. It is often underdiagnosed. The more the word can spread about APD, the more those who suffer from it will be able to get help. Among children with other developmental or sensory disorders, the prevalence is approximately 10%. More than half of individuals with traumatic brain injuries end up with auditory processing disorder.
Medical doctors, neurologists, psychologists, and/or speech therapists can diagnose APD.
FALSE. Only audiologists who have been trained in auditory processing disorder should evaluate and diagnose APD. Often, medical doctors, speech therapists, and psychologists will refer for APD testing because they see signs of APD. A collaborative effort should be used among different areas of expertise to best treat the patient.
Individuals with auditory processing disorder will have lower IQs.
FALSE. Auditory processing disorder is not at all connected to intelligence. Many individuals with APD will have above-average intelligence. However, people with APD may end up scoring lower on verbal IQ tests compared to peers because they have difficulty processing and interpreting speech sounds.
Auditory Processing Disorder Testing in Tucson, AZ
Oro Valley Audiology has audiologists trained to provide auditory processing disorder tests in Tucson, AZ.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment with expert audiologists in Tucson, AZ!
