

There's no cure for APD, and the treatment is specific to each person. The doctor also may attach painless electrodes to your child's ears and head to measure how their brain reacts to sound.Ĭhildren usually aren't tested for APD until age 7 because their responses to the listening test may not be accurate when they're younger. For instance, they might repeat them or push a button.
Auditory definition series#
The audiologist will do a series of advanced listening tests in which your child will listen to different sounds and respond when they hear them. Your doctor can use a hearing test to see if your child's issues are caused by hearing loss, but only a hearing specialist, called an audiologist, can diagnose APD. Some people who have nervous system diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, also develop APD. APD can happen after chronic ear infections, meningitis, or lead poisoning. Understand what people say, especially in a loud place or if more than one person is talkingĭoctors don't know exactly what causes APD, but it may be linked to:.


Between 2% and 7% of kids have it, and boys are more likely to have it than girls. It often starts in childhood, but some people develop it later. It's not a problem with understanding meaning. It means your brain doesn't "hear" sounds in the usual way. Someone says, "Please raise your hand," and you hear something like "Please haze your plan." You tell your child, "Look at the cows over there," and they may hear, "Look at the clown on the chair."ĪPD, also known as central auditory processing disorder, isn't hearing loss or a learning disorder. People with auditory processing disorder (APD) have a hard time hearing small sound differences in words.
