Auditory Processing Disorder (APD): Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment for Children and Adults

📖 Listening & Understanding

• ☐ Frequently asks “What?” or “Can you repeat that?”
• ☐ Difficulty following spoken directions, especially multi-step ones
• ☐ Misunderstands verbal instructions or questions
• ☐ Needs extra time to respond to spoken input
• ☐ Trouble understanding speech in noisy environments

🧠 Learning & Academics

• ☐ Struggles with phonics, reading, or decoding words
• ☐ Poor spelling or difficulty learning new vocabulary
• ☐ Often guesses instead of accurately responding to oral questions
• ☐ Difficulty remembering verbal information (e.g., days of the week, phone numbers)
• ☐ Avoids or becomes frustrated with reading aloud

🗣️ Speech & Communication

• ☐ Mispronounces similar-sounding words
• ☐ May speak clearly but struggles to understand others
• ☐ Has trouble keeping up with group conversations
• ☐ Needs visual cues or gestures to comprehend speech

📚 School & Classroom Challenges

• ☐ Seems inattentive or “tunes out” during lectures
• ☐ Needs visual aids to understand classroom content
• ☐ Often mishears teacher directions
• ☐ Does better in quiet, structured settings than in group learning
• ☐ Appears to have good hearing but still struggles with auditory tasks

👂 Social & Behavioral Observations

☐ Frustration, anxiety, or withdrawal during group discussions
☐ May seem like they’re not listening or ignoring you
☐ Avoids noisy environments (cafeteria, assemblies, group work)
☐ Gets overwhelmed or tired from listening activities
☐ May act out or become distracted due to auditory overload

✅ What To Do Next:

• Document your observations and discuss them with your child’s teacher or doctor
• Request an auditory processing evaluation by a certified audiologist
• Consider a full speech-language assessment
• Explore strategies like preferential seating, visual aids, and speech therapy