Ask an Audiologist: I Think I May Have an Auditory Processing Disorder

November 29th, 2016 | by Stephanie Loder | Audiologist
Ask an Audiologist: I Think I May Have an Auditory Processing Disorder

What is an Auditory Processing Disorder?

An Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), is present when there is an interference between what you hear and how your brain processes that information.

Although you may have normal hearing, you may experience symptoms that include having trouble distinguishing distinct and separate sounds like sixty and sixteen or focusing on important sounds, like someone’s voice, instead of background noise.

Hearing Solutions’ Audiologist, Stephanie Loder fields a question APD and its diagnosis.

Ask an Audiologist

I’ve been reading some things about auditory processing disorders and some of the symptoms really resonated with me, like asking people to repeat things, needing subtitles for TV, forgetting directions immediately, remembering faces but not names. I wanted to ask if this sounds like a symptom. My whole life family and friends have made fun of me for answering questions with “what” pausing and then answering the question, usually before they have to repeat the question. I always thought this was my brain sort of buffering. I don’t know why I say “what” but it’s always the first thing out of my mouth before I can think. Do you think I should get this checked out?

Audiologist Response

Hello there,

Thank you for your submission to Ask an Audiologist.

It is great that you have been reading up on Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). I do recommend that you get this checked out given your concerns about your hearing and the effects with your family members. Certainly, it is possible that you are just in the habit of saying “what,” or that your brain is needing a little more “buffering time,” as you described. But you won’t know for sure until you complete a full hearing assessment.

At Hearing Solutions, we offer free hearing tests. We will evaluate your hearing sensitivity and your ability to understand speech in quiet and in noise. This would be a great starting pointing for you to discuss your symptoms further with one of our Audiologists. From there, the Audiologist may recommend further testing for APD or have other suggestions to help you to hear better. We would be happy to schedule an appointment for you at your convenience.

I hope that this information is helpful to you. Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Loder, B.Sc., M.Cl.Sc., Reg. CASLPO Audiologist, Aud(C)

Stephanie is a registered Audiologist with the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario. Stephanie currently sees patients at Hearing Solutions’ Carlingwood Shopping Centre location in Ottawa.

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