Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) and its treatment

People who have normal hearing actually hear far more than they perceive. Where hearing is a function of the ear, auditory processing - listening - is a function of the brain. Auditory processing describes the way the brain assigns significance and meaning to the sounds in the environment. Effective auditory processing involves a relatively high speed of information transfer. It also requires a good attention span, a well-functioning memory, and sensitivity to the many subtleties of sound. When parts of this complex system break down or don't operate efficiently, listening is compromised. All the ensuing problems are collectively known as Auditory Processing Disorders (APD).

This condition is often present from early childhood, leading to a number of difficulties as the child becomes older and messages become complex and are given more quickly. This may manifest as poor auditory comprehension, delayed language development, poor expressive and receptive language or high distractibility, though many other symptoms are also noticed. Auditory processing problems are a feature of many other disorders, including autism, dyslexia, learning disabilities, dyspraxia, Asperger's syndrome, developmental and speech delay, and attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADD or ADHD).

Research has shown that the best way to improve the function of any sensory system is through intensive stimulation, and the most direct form of stimulating the auditory system is through research-based, proven programs designed specifically to improve auditory processing.  At Aurora, we offer several of the leading technology-based and teacher directed auditory processing programs.  Our goal is to improve your auditory processing to the point that, upon re-testing, your auditory processing skills are consistent with your overall verbal and intelligence scores. 

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