Auditory Processing Disorder
from one of our audiologists or speech pathologists
08 8272 9997
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) or Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) occurs when an individual has normal hearing but struggles to listen. This condition is thought to be due to an inability to process speech sounds accurately.
Children and adults with APD have difficulty recognising differences between sounds in words, even when the sounds are loud and clear enough to be heard. This is often more challenging when there is background noise, for example, in a classroom. Up to 7% of children have Auditory Processing Disorder (APD).
Audiologists are the recognised allied health professional for assessment and diagnosis of APD.
All APD assessments begin with an initial hearing test along with a test of middle ear function in order to ensure that hearing is normal.
A series of ‘listening games’ is then performed using state of the art equipment in a fully sound proof booth to determine auditory processing abilities. These abilities are then compared to results from children or adults of the same age who do not have APD in order to evaluate whether the skills are age appropriate.
At Speak Hear, our APD test battery is performed over 3 sessions:
The initial appointment is a full diagnostic hearing assessment. This allows us to proceed with the APD test battery. Should an individual have a hearing loss or middle ear issues, we will not be able to follow on with the APD assessments as we will need to manage the hearing loss/ear health issues. If a hearing assessment has been completed in the last 6 months and a report is provided, this appointment may not be needed (Up to 45 minutes).
At the second appointment the audiologist will go through the case history and have a discussion with the patient about their listening concerns. The audiologist will then begin the test battery. Some of the tests carried out may be done with headphones, and some may be live voice. Parents and significant others will be able to follow the test as they will be provided with the target responses (Up to 1 hour).
At the final appointment the remaining tests are completed, and the audiologist will go through the assessment results and discuss recommendations (Up to 1 hour).
The report will be sent out within 2 weeks of the final APD assessment appointment.
In order to ensure we have the information needed to provide a clear diagnosis, we require APD assessment forms to be completed prior to the assessment. This information helps us provide a thorough evaluation of the difficulties and ensure that recommendations made are tailored to the patient’s needs.
If your child is diagnosed with APD, Speak Hear will provide comprehensive recommendations on how your child’s ‘listening’ skills can be improved.
Speak Hear is able to provide:
- Individual 1:1 listening training targeting the ability to process speech and language in a range of environments
- Individualised speech pathology intervention to improve the areas of language processing and/or literacy development that your child struggles with
- Consultation with your child’s teacher or school on classroom acoustics and tactics to improve your child’s ability to hear and process classroom instructions and the curriculum
- A listening device may be recommended to help your child hear their teacher and yourself more clearly
If you’re interested, complete the following forms below,
APD Parent Questionnaire Form (Filled out by Parent/Caregiver Only)
APD Teacher Questionnaire Form (Filled out by the Child’s Teacher Only)
APD Adult Questionnaire Form (Filled out if you’re interested in being booked)
Medicare Rebates
You can either be referred by a specialist or be eligible for a Chronic Disease Management (CDM) Plan (speak to your GP about your eligibility), it must be referred to us in order to receive the rebate. You will need to pay the total cost of the appointment and any Medicare rebates applicable will be deposited into your account instantly with our HICAPS facility. Please make sure you bring a debit card for us to re-deposit the Medicare rebate.