Auditory Processing Disorder

Auditory processing disorder can be misdiagnosed because symptoms can mimic other disorders or are overshadowed by other problems, like learning disabilities, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism. It is best to rule out these concerns before being evaluated for APD. We can assess children with these diagnoses to look for areas of weakness, but we cannot label APD as a standalone disorder in these cases.

APD testing is recommended for:

• Children ages seven and up
• Children and adults with normal hearing

For children:

• First they will see a pediatric audiologist, who will administer a comprehensive hearing test to rule out hearing loss and middle ear dysfunction. If your child's hearing was already assessed elsewhere, our team will review the results before scheduling an APD assessment.
• APD evaluations for children require both an audiologist and a speech-language pathologist. You may see both on the same day or on two separate days. They will evaluate expressive and receptive language and cognitive skills, problem-solving abilities, memory, and attention. Specific auditory processing tests will be chosen based on your child’s age and developmental level. 

For adults:

• We will ask you to complete questionnaires and discuss your medical history. We’ll also test your hearing and listening skills (for example, listening when there is background noise, competing information, fast rates of speech, and more) and perform your APD evaluation during the same appointment. Afterward, we’ll discuss your results, any auditory processing weaknesses we found, and recommendations for managing them.