Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)

"I give the pupils instructions but she never seems to do as I tell her."

Did she actually hear the instruction in the first place?

Pupils have difficulty understanding spoken messages, using speech, reading and remembering instructions.

When they forget spoken messages or instructions they can sometimes be thought of as disobedient.

Sounds are normally sent from our ears to our brains. The brain then interprets them so we can understand. For a child with APD, the brain has difficulty translating sounds.

APD can run in families.
Middle-ear disease (glue ear) may also be a cause.

GPs will refer patients to a speech therapist and audiologist who will carry out tests.

What can help?

-Reducing the background noise in class.
-Sit the child nearer the teacher.
-Check frequently that the child understand what is being conveyed.
-Hearing training programmes.
-Classroom listening devices
-Radio microphone systems.

For more information: apduk.org or: defeatingdeafness.org