Auditory Processing Disorder in Rural Communities

Auditory-processing-disorder-information-in-rural-communitiesAuditory processing disorder or Central auditory processing disorder affect approximately 2 to 3 percent of school aged children. Children with APD have normal hearing but they have difficulty processing the information. The part of the brain that translates the sound does not function property. Children often do not recognize the difference between sounds in words even when they are spoken loud and clear. Kids with APD have hearing difficulty especially in a noisy environment. APD can cause problems with behavior, mood and learning and often associated with attention deficit disorder, autism and dyslexia.

Symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder in children include:
• Difficulty hearing in the presence of background noise
• Often asked words to be repeated
• Often says “what?” or “huh”
• Speech or language delay from younger age
• Difficulty following or remembering multi-step instructions
• Reversals in letter of words like “d” for “b” and “t” for “p”
• Difficulty pronouncing words
• Gets easily distracted
• Often mishear similar sounding words
• Difficulty in spelling
• Difficulty in reading aloud
• Speaks in monotone

Early detection and management of APD is important to alleviate the disabling and handicapping consequences of the disorder. A team of professionals are needed to diagnose auditory processing disorder in children. The multi-disciplinary team includes an audiologist, a speech language pathologist, a psychologist and teachers.
The audiologist will perform the actual testing for APD. He will test the child’s ability to hear sounds under different conditions. This will help discover the areas where the child is having problems. The psychologist will administer and interpret the child’s cognitive and educational capacity. The speech-language pathologist can identify the areas of auditory abilities. Parents and teachers will help identify the child’s medical history, learning behaviours, listening behaviours and social skills.
A complete APD diagnosis may not always be possible especially in rural communities where resources are not always available. Some parents and children with APD travel up to 600kms to seek audiological treatment. Specialty services of hearing health specialist have an insufficient numbers to meet the demand in rural communities. As in the case with doctors, speech pathologist, audiologists and otolaryngologists their number decreases with the remoteness.
Access to medical intervention for children with APD in rural areas needs to be improved.

Managing children with auditory processing disorder in the rural communities is not easy, but the government is trying to alleviate the situation. The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine Telehealth provides contact details for doctors, ear, nose and throat specialist, speech pathologist and other hearing health services in the rural and remote areas. Telehealth program like VidKids provides services to children in the rural areas. It offers alternative face-to-face visits to hearing health professionals via telephone or the internet. It utilizes video conferencing to provide therapy, diagnostic services, counseling, technological assistance, education and support to children living in rural areas.

Medical intervention may not be easily accessible in the rural communities, so parents in the rural areas should beware of preprinted auditory processing disorder information suggestions. Not all suggestions are appropriate for your child. Some recommendation for one type of APD could be detrimental or useless for the other. Only an audiologist will help identify the specific type of auditory processing disorder in children. Seek direct intervention or therapy from professional speech-language pathologist to improve your child’s auditory processing abilities.

Auditory Processing Disorder in Kenya & Africa

Auditory Processing Disorder in Kenya/Africa

Auditory processing disorder (APD) – also known as the central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) – is a hearing complication, which normally affects school-aged children such that they cannot process sounds they hear in the same way as normal kids of their age do. It manifests itself in three ways namely: sound discrimination, language processing and auditory memory complications.

In the first instance, the affected child cannot pronounce words clearly using its specific sounds. Auditory memory complications interfere with the kid’s ability to memorise facts and numbers especially if the former case involves complex verbal instructions. Language processing presents the toughest challenge to children with APD because they cannot understand the questions asked of them as well as socialise with their friends.

APD in Kenya

Awareness levels about APD as well as other learning disabilities have increased among health professionals as well as the public in developed countries. Sadly, the same cannot be said of the developing countries – especially Africa and more specifically, Kenya – where there has been limited research on learning disabilities, including APD. In Kenya, most of the research has focused on reading difficulties experienced by school-going children without being cognisant of the fact that learning disabilities is a complex area.

A study by Grace Kwamboka in 2004 perhaps underlines the extent of learning disabilities – including CAPD – in Kenya. The research, conducted in Starehe division of the defunct Nairobi Province, identifies auditory processing disorder as one of the main learning disabilities facing children in various schools in the area including; Pumwani, Parklands, St. Bridgits, Catholic Parochial as well as River Bank primary schools. Interviews with teachers and headteachers in these schools revealed problems, such as, slow acquisition of skills required for children of their age, memory retention problems and difficulty in arithmetic calculation – symptoms which are all reflective of APD.

Treatment of APD

The good news is that children with APD can undergo treatment to enable them lead normal and fulfilling lives. Adoptive Families, an online forum for parents interested in adoption, advises that this can be achieved in the classroom or home setting. This includes speaking slowly and clearly to the affected kid to help him understand what is being said. At school, acoustics in the classroom can be improved for their benefit by closing a window or addition of a rug to drown out background sounds that may distract the kid’s focus on what the teacher is saying.

Professional means of treating APD are also available including the use of sequencing routines to help the child improve his listening skills by repeating a series of directions and numbers. A professional will also help the affected kid differentiate sounds even in environments with loud background noise.

Parenting Tips for a Child with Central Auditory Processing Disorder

Central auditory processing disorder can be a huge struggle for kids especially during their growth and development. The reason behind is this that it affects the way the brain processes auditory information. Hearing is one of the main concerns for parents as well as with their child as it can be quite hard to effectively convey your message to them in an effective manner. It is important for parents to quickly assess if they child is showing early signs and symptoms of central auditory processing disorder. This is to ensure the right amount of treatment and care is given to their child.

CAPD affects 5% of school-aged children making it quite a one of a kind and it can be quite hard for parents to find the necessary treatment and care. Providing them with right background and setting is also important to ensure their learning is not hindered. Fortunately, you can find several topics revolving around central auditory processing disorder over the internet as well as individuals who share the same sentiments and cause over this problem. Listed below are some parenting tips for a child with central auditory processing disorder to give you a firm overview on how to handle this condition.

1. Use simple sentences emphasizing key words.

As mentioned earlier, CAPD affects one’s auditory information. It is important for parents to use simple sentences to avoid confusing to your child. Emphasizing key words is also ideal as this is what they will oftentimes remember instead of the whole conversation.

2. Slow your speech and, where appropriate, increase the volume slightly.

It is important for parents to be considerate when talking to a child that is affected by CAPD. If you are a fast talker, slowing your speech is important to help your child catch up. Increasing the volume slightly without the need to shout is also advised.

3. Only give him one or two directions at a time and where feasible ask him to repeat them back to you.

Again, since the CAPD, affects the way the brain processes auditory information, giving your child a lot of instructions may often end up to confusion. Give him one or two directions or an alternative method is to make use of a pen and paper and write these up for them to bring.

4. Where possible reduce the background noise – using sound-absorbent partitions, felt on chair feet etc.

Children with CAPD are quite sensitive to background noises adding an extra burden on receiving auditory information.

5. Provide him with a quiet place in which he can do homework.

As mentioned above, a quiet and calm environment is greatly appreciated as it helps promote learning.

6. Encourage good eating and sleeping habits.

Good eating and sleeping habits reduces the occurrence and development of stress as well as helps kids feel relaxed

These are a few of the many parenting tips for a child with central auditory processing disorder and you can definitely look up additional information over the internet today.

Auditory Processing Disorder Specialists around the World

  1. The Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre

https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/OurServices/ServiceA-Z/ENTS/NUFF/Pages/Home.aspx

The Nuffield Hearing and Speech Centre are able to assess, diagnose and manage disorders of speech, hearing and balance in all children including those with complex and special needs.

  1. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

http://www.gosh.nhs.uk/

One of the world’s leading children’s hospitals, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a suitable place to seek ADP treatment.

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin

http://www.chw.org/

This hospital has a considerable number of branches which gives their patients the convenience to find a nearest hospital with them. This along with a variety of doctors and specialists makes it a great place to visit. Listed below are a few of their branches along with their noteworthy specialist.

  1. Forest View Pediatrics

4855 S Moorland Rd,

Ste 150 New Berlin, WI 53151

A mother of three children, Kristen Adamo has been under the supervision and care of Forest View Pediatrics since 2004 providing primary care to children as they work hand in hand together in treating their condition.

  1. Downtown Health Center

1020 N 12th St Milwaukee

WI 53233

Liza Zetley enjoys working with children while at the same time, is able to advocate to their health needs and addresses in a timely manner.

 

  1. Floating Hospital for Children

https://www.floatinghospital.org/

You will not find any shortage of staff and doctors who specialize in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology at the Floating Hospital for Children.

  1. Central Manchester University Hospitals

http://www.cmft.nhs.uk/childrens-hospitals

Find a wide range of services for patients found in one of the largest and busiest Trusts in the country.

  1. Cincinnati Children’s

http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/p/auditory-processing/

A huge number of healthcare professionals as well as researchers working their best in providing the most appropriate treatment for APD await clients on their visit.

UCLA Health

https://www.uclahealth.org

UCLA Health has a dedicated center which focuses upon a child’s needs. This allows children to have their own dedicated method of treatment which can be found below.

  1. Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA

757 Westwood Plaza

Los Angeles, CA 90095

Basic child care services can be found at their establishment and both parents and their child can benefit greatly from the services that they provide.

  1. Mattel Children’s UCLA Pediatric Specialists

1131 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 202 (12th Street & Wilshire)

Santa Monica, CA 90403

A vast and expansive field of childcare is available on a regular basis with Mattel Children’s UCLA Pediatric Specialists. Pantea Sharifi-Hannauer, MD is a Pediatric Neurology which specializes in Autism & Epilepsy.

  1. Department of Speech and Hearing Science (Ohio State University)

https://sphs.osu.edu/clinic

This clinic specializes in Speech, Language and Hearing which is essential for communication.

  1. American Academy of Audiology

Home – Copy Edit

Get the latest updates and news revolving around the field of Audiology while at the same time be able to find an audiologist near you at American Academy of Audiology.

  1. Learning Rx

Corp – Corporate Home page

Learning Rx allows children with APD and other related issues and concerns to be able to live normally while helping them find their potential.

  1. Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Empowering Students to Pursue Possibilities

Learning is an important process to every child including those who are suffering from APD. It is good to hear that Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired is able to help provide them with their needs.

  1. Women’s and Children’s Health Network

http://www.cyh.com/SubDefault.aspx?p=98

Their establishment provides free hearing assessment service across South Australia for children 0-18 years old which is great for APD.

  1. Foundations Development House

Home

Speech and language classes are provided as an extra support services for special needs children in a form of Language Acquisition Enrichment Preschool (LEAP). Find them here.

  1. Ace Clinics

Home

Advanced Cognitive Enhancement (ACE) clinic specializes in treating children and adults suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities.

  1. East Tennessee State University Audiology Clinic

http://www.etsu.edu/crhs/aslp/audiology/default.aspx

Audiology testing are provided on a day-to-day basis to their patients at their clinics for complete hearing evaluation.

  1. UK HealthCare

http://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/ENT/apd/

UK HealthCare is able to shed some light with the issues revolving around APD as they work with their patients in find the best possible cure.

  1. Sound Skills

Home Page

Effectively diagnose APD with a variety of tests available at Sound Skills along with their training and therapy sessions which is available on a regular basis.

  1. Mainland Hearing

http://www.mainlandhearing.com/apd/

Make use of free hearing test provided by Mainland Hearing which is available over their website today.

APD CAPD Parents & Experts Connect Via Social Media

The auditory processing disorder (APD) which is also known as central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is a condition where people can hear sound though how the brain translates those sound is disrupted which result to an unclear message. In contrast to people with hearing impairment, people with CAPD have normal hearing but they have a hard time processing the information they hear in the same way as others because their ears and brain don’t fully coordinate. This is the reason why it is called a processing disorder. This develops at a very early age as CAPD affects about 5% of school-aged children and should not be taken for granted.

There are several signs and symptoms with regards to APD which include of course, difficulty in hearing, poor auditory memory, speech delay from a young age, difficulty in following instructions or directions, exhibiting attention issues and more can be found by seeking a professional’s aid upon showing these early signs and symptoms regarding APD. The causes of CAPD are unknown which makes it harder to keep track off. This is the reason why parents need to be vigilant and attentive as this may develop during their child’s growth.

Although not a sure-fire approach to treating children with APD, parents are given several strategies to overcome such struggle. Providing a peaceful, organized environment and lifestyle proved to be very helpful during their growth. Building their self-esteem is also rather advantageous as they have no clear understanding of CAPD. Central Auditory Processing Disorder Treatment exists and this should also be taken into consideration along with Auditory Integration Listening Programs which is available for today.

A lot of individuals share the same sentiments and feeling with regards to ADP and CAPD. It can be heartbreaking learning that your child is suffering from this type of processing disorder. With that said, it is good to hear that people were able to express their concerns and feedbacks over the internet and the online community has been very helpful in giving further insights and understanding about auditory processing disorder. Social media websites is able to easily share vital information and spread it around the community in a short amount of time. This allows for a healthy conversation and discussions about CAPD.

Back then people would require forming an active group and meet physically to share their experience with regards to a particular issue or concern. However today, the process is made much easier as you can engage and ask personal questions to the professionals through the use of several social media websites. Twitter has been very helpful in providing the necessary information with regards to CAPD and doctors, institutions and even parents are able to express freely their opinions and ask feedback from others in return.

Claire Felices social media manager of social media agency Atomic Digital shows how parents can best use social media to connect with not just other parents, but experts in that field. Here is a list of doctors and professionals as well as regular individuals who share their thoughts about APD:

  1. The Sensory Spectrum

@SensorySpec

This page links to the newest research, news, tips and activities for kids with Autism Aspergers and Sensory Processing Disorder which are updated on a regular basis.

  1. Francoise Nicoloff

https://www.facebook.com/TomatisAustralia

Director of the Tomatis Method in Australia & psychologist for over 30 years – Sydney, treating auditory processing, ADHD, speech delay, autism, depression. She shares news, pictures and videos about auditory processing disorder.

  1. Vicki Kirwin

@KidsAudiologist

Paediatric audiologist & advisor @NDCS_UK. News on childhood deafness & children’s audiology are shared and can be found at her twitter page.

  1. NLASLPA

@nlaslpa

Represents over 100 Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) and Audiologists (AUDs) in Newfoundland and Labrador, NLASLPA is a not-for-profit association that post news and informative pictures with regards to CAPD.

  1. Tammy Pluck

@SunnyCMIB

https://twitter.com/SunnyCMIB

A mother of two children, you can find post about fitness and health along with taking care of children.

  1. Able Families

@AbleFamilies

A social networking, advice & support as well as a resource & information page for South African families challenged by disability.

  1. NY Gifted Education

@NYGiftedEd

https://twitter.com/NYGiftedEd

This page revolves around actively exploring all the school and enrichment options available for gifted children in NYC which includes finding a suitable institution with children who have ADP.

  1. The Kildonan School

@KildonanSchool

Another educational institution which is one of NY’s premier independent schools for students with dyslexia which is oftentimes associated to auditory processing disorder.

  1. KidsHealth

@KidsHealth

https://twitter.com/KidsHealth

The world’s #1 most-visited website devoted to children’s health, Kids Health is written for parents, educators, kids, and teens with an active and growing number of followers.

  1. Brain Balance SF

@BrainBalanceSF

This page represents an after school learning centers that help children with learning & behavioral disorders such as ADHD, Dyslexia, Autism, & other Learning Disabilities.

Indeed social media has been a very effective and powerful tool in sharing vital information to the online community. Rare and uncommon diseases and disorders aren’t usually given its clear overview and background information unless you manually look for it. This can take one a fair amount of time in order to complete. It is good to hear that ADP and CAPD have received its fair share of the spotlight with the help of social media today. This helps remove the social stigma behind ADP and CAPD as well as other related disorders as a huge number of people are given a clearer understanding in an effort to answer the general issues and concerns revolving around them. Reach out to several social media network and find the much needed help over the internet.