Auditory processing disorder (APD) affects at least five percent of school-aged children around the world. This condition makes it difficult for them to identify the variations of sounds in words. Moreover, APD interferes with how the children process what other people are saying.
Parenting My Child Who Has ADP
The first time that I thought that there’s something wrong with my 7 year old boy was when I asked him to do a chore. A minute passes before he responded to my request and started on the task. I wondered whether he is having some kind of hearing problem, or was just preoccupied with what he was doing. This got me a bit concerned as I was a first-time mom. Days later, we went to a specialist.
I had my boy scheduled for a hearing test. But to my surprise, he passed with flying colors. Then the doctor suggested that I consult a different specialist as he suspects that my child has some kind of learning disability. And he was right. My kid was diagnosed with APD.
In all honesty, it is quite challenging to parent a child with ADP. I have to be extra patient, especially when instructing him to do things. More often than not, it takes time before my child processes and understands what I was saying. I always tell him that it’s okay; that his brain is wired differently. And that makes him special. As much as I want to protect him from this prejudiced society, he is growing up. He has to go to school and explore the world on his own.
Schooling and Socializing
I don’t know any learning centers that cater children with APD, so I had to enroll him at the local school. I’m quite thankful that his teachers are supportive of him. They always make sure that he is seated at the front. This way, he gets to focus with the lesson. Also, it helps him improve his lip reading skill, which I learned to be helpful for children with APD.
Children likes to tease, and my child was no different. His classmates make fun of him whenever he says something wrong, or interchanges words during conversations. Socializing is also challenging for my kid. He can’t keep up with all the fast-talking during group conversations.
Constant auditory training is helping him manage his APD. We also regularly perform exercises to improve his language-building skills. This being said, the best course of action in managing APD is through the cooperation of other people. The school is doing the best they can in helping my child deal with his disability.