Auditory processing is what the brain does with what the ears are hearing. A processing disorder affects how the person interprets speech and sound.
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APD can occur in the presence of hearing loss or without hearing loss.
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There is a high prevalence of APD in populations such as aging adults, school aged children with learning difficulties, military veterans who have suffered blast trauma, and those with neurological disorders from brain trauma. However, APD in these populations often goes misdiagnosed or undiagnosed.
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The cause for APD is often unclear and the presentation is different in each individual.
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APD is complex, thus a specialized provider is required.
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APD is treatable.
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Persons with APD are often highly intelligent, as APD has nothing to do with intelligence.
What is APD?
Common characteristics of APD include:
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Difficulties hearing in background noise.
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Misunderstanding speech and/or asking for repetition.
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Responding inconsistently or inappropriately to speech.
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Difficulty attending.
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Messy, disorganized or regularly losing things.
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Often avoiding distracting situations, especially for studying or focusing.
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Difficulty following auditory instructions.
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Difficulty with sound localization.
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Reading, spelling, writing or learning problems.
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Reduced musical or singing skills.