An Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) occurs when an individual has documented difficulties processing auditory information. These types of listening difficulties are often described as a “central” auditory processing deficit, as the difficulties occur even when a child or adult presents with normal hearing. Evaluation for a CAPD is completed by an audiologist, yet also often involves other specialists to help rule out any other concomitant deficits. Other professionals involved may include a speech-language pathologist, clinical psychologist, regular and/or special education teachers.

NUCASLL provides a CAPD evaluation led by an audiologist. The evaluation uses a variety of measures to evaluate how sound is processed by the brain, and helps the audiologist understand why a child or adult may be having difficulty with sound processing despite normal hearing. The audiologist also teams with a speech-language pathologist and a clinical psychologist on a case-by-case basis, as needed, to provide a more in depth look at strengths and challenges for patients in order to provide the best recommendations.

Signs and Symptoms of CAPD

• Normal peripheral hearing
• Poor listening skills
• Difficulty remembering information heard
• Reduced comfort levels for listening
• Poor attention
• Difficulty with auditory learning
• Problems in the presence of background noise
• Reduced tolerance for loud noises
• Difficulty understanding speech when it is quiet
• Slow or delayed responses to verbal stimuli
• Frequent requests for information to be repeated
• Auditory integration deficits for sound blending and auditory closure
• Will  often will say “huh” or “what”
• Problems with reading, spelling, and academics in general