Definition
An auditory processing disorder interferes with an individual’s ability to analyze or make sense of information taken in through the ears. Difficulties with auditory processing do not affect what is heard by the ear, but do affect how this information is interpreted, or processed by the brain. An auditory processing deficit can interfere directly with speech and language, but can affect all areas of learning, especially reading and spelling.
Common areas of difficulty and some educational implications
- Phonological awareness. The understanding that language is made up of individual sounds (phonemes) which are put together to form the words we write and speak. This is a fundamental precursor to reading.
- Auditory memory. The ability to store and recall information which was given verbally. An individual with difficulties in this area may not be able to follow instructions given verbally or may have trouble recalling information from a story read aloud.
- Auditory sequencing. The ability to remember or reconstruct the order of items in a list or the order of sounds in a word or syllable. One example is saying or writing “rebember” for “remember.”
- Auditory blending. The process of putting together phonemes to form words. For example, the individual phonemes “b”, “a”, and “t” are blended to from the word, “bat”.
Support Services: What do you do?
MindWell recommends an assessment to determine why your child is having difficulty with learning what he or she hears. Contact us today to schedule a consultation at our Northern Virginia office.