Auditory Processing: What We Do With What We Hear

“My hearing is normal, but I am constantly asking people to repeat what they said.

“If it’s quiet, I can hear, but if lots of kids start talking in my classroom, I have a really hard time hearing my teacher.”

“When my mom talks really fast, I can’t keep up and remember everything she says.”

These comments are just a few of the complaints you can expect from someone who is struggling with an auditory processing problem. Simply put, auditory processing is what we do with what we hear. Individuals with an auditory processing disorder often present with difficulties in listening, language, learning, reading, and in other academic and social areas. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association identifies the following behavioral characteristics as signs and symptoms of an auditory processing disorder:

• Difficulty localizing sound
• Difficulty understanding spoken language in competing messages, in noisy backgrounds, in reverberant environments, or when presented rapidly
• Taking longer to respond in oral communication situations
• Frequent requests for repetitions, saying “what” and “huh” frequently
• Inconsistent or inappropriate responding
• Difficulty comprehending and following rapid speech
• Difficulty following complex auditory directions or commands
• Difficulty learning songs or nursery rhymes
• Misunderstanding messages, such as detecting prosody changes that help to interpret sarcasm or jokes
• Poor musical and singing skills
• Difficulty paying attention
• Being easily distracted
• Poor performance on speech and language or psychoeducational tests in the areas of auditory-related skills
• Associated reading, spelling, and learning problems
• Difficulty learning a new language

If you or a loved one struggle with the processing of auditory information, please consider scheduling an appointment with us. The assessment of an auditory processing disorder requires a thorough evaluation by an audiologist specially trained for comprehensive auditory processing evaluations. Call (816) 478-3008 to schedule an appointment with our auditory processing specialists today.