Auditory Processing Disorder in Preschoolers

Auditory processing is how your brain processes the speech sounds your ear is hearing. Preschoolers with APD, also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD), cannot process what they hear in the same way other prechoolers do although their hearing is normal. When a preschooler has an Auditory Processing Disorder, many areas of function can be affected. It may be hard to understand what is said, therefore the preschooler will have difficulty following auditory directions. Preschoolers may also have diffculty answering questions, understanding conversations, understanding speech in noisy environments, discriminating between speech sounds, auditory memory, and recalling the order of sounds/words. It also frequently negatively affects a preschooler’s acquisition of phonics for reading and spelling skills. Diagnosis of an Auditory Processing Disorder is done through a combination of audiological and speech/language evaluations, and treatment is usually completed by the Speech Language Pathologist.