Hi, I’m Claire. As a child, I struggled with Auditory Processing Disorder, or APD. So, what does it feel like to have APD?
It’s busy
It’s fuzzy
It’s like listening underwater
It’s noisy
It’s unclear
It’s tiring
It’s too hard
It’s too fast
It’s… all too much.
What does having APD feel like?
🏃♂️Imagine running as fast as you can but always falling behind.
😔 It’s a heavy feeling going to school every day knowing you’re going to struggle.
🥺 It’s exhausting coming home from school (or work!) every day after your brain has had to work twice as hard as everyone else’s.
It’s no wonder many students with APD eventually disengage with learning and start to think they’re dumb.
Do kids with APD have hearing problems?
👂 APD is not a hearing problem but it can look like one because you zone out and don’t learn like others.
🧠 A child with APD’s brain has trouble processing what they hear… which is pretty important in the classroom.
It can look like a working memory problem because how can you remember information you haven’t processed?
It can look like an attention problem because how can you pay attention if you’re only catching every second or third piece of information?
Are kids with APD just selective listeners?
No, they aren’t – though it can look like they are aa selective listener or just lazy, when that’s far from the truth. We humans tend to favour what we’re good at so if we don’t listen well, it’s usually because we find it difficult.
Are treatments for APD available?
When I was a kid there weren’t treatments for this sort of difficulty but now we know so much more about APD and how it can cause smart kids to struggle to learn… even into adulthood.
When I was in my 20s I starting using the Fast ForWord program and it changed my life. I’ve heard some describe it as “glasses for the ears” and that’s a pretty apt description if you ask me.
Interested in learning more about the Fast ForWord program? Have a question about learning, neuroscience and/or education? Contact the team of health and education professionals at Sonic Learning.
Online auditory processing disorder test
People aged 5 and above who meet the eligiblity requirements can enrol in our online auditory processing disorder test.
You need an iPad to complete this test at home.
The test is research validated and results are evaluated by professionals.
Learn more & contact us
How Fast ForWord trains auditory processing
Watch this demo about how Fast ForWord trains auditory skills such as auditory processing, auditory memory, and more.
Get the APD info pack
Learn more about APD and how we can help with our free APD info pack.
Book a free phone consult
This free telephone consultation can help to answer any questions you have about our services. At Sonic Learning we are all experienced teachers and health professionals so parents tend to find it very beneficial to be able to discuss their concerns and receive guidance from our team.
