Auditory processing disorder (APD) in children is the manner in which a child’s central nervous system makes use of auditory information. It is an auditory deficit rather than a consequence of higher-order language, cognitive and related disorders. Nonetheless, there are cases when APD comes along with other sensory-related conditions.
Diagnosing APD
APD in children is manifested through difficulty in listening
and related problems. For instance, they may fail to follow directions,
differentiate corresponding sounds and above all, fail to understand
speech in any noisy setting. These children tend to behave as if they
are victims of hearing loss. They also have certain difficulties in
reading, spelling and listening to verbal texts. However, these symptoms
alone cannot be used to diagnose APD since a child may exhibit them yet
their nervous system is fully intact.
APD can be treated and taught using the Orton Gill-Ingham method. This
is a technique that gauges their class performance on other aspects
rather than their listening skills. Note that this is the best way to
evaluate their progress since they have the potential to complete all
tasks in time as long as they are informed of the results expected from
them.
The Orton GillIngham method is
a multisensory structured language program. In addition to phonology
and its awareness, the learner is introduced to association of sounds
and symbols. Their instructed using syllables and morphology. After
completion of this program, a child ailing from APD can fit in the
ordinary classroom and even perform better than their classmates.
