Two different types of Auditory Processing Disorder.....

With several different ways the brain processes auditory information I researched two types of APD, although a person could have one or the other many people have both types of APD.

The first is Auditory Discrimination, this is the skill to acquire the ability to notice, compare and distinguish separate sounds in words. This skill is crucial in order to learn to read.

Below are many difficulties a person with APD can run into:

Learning to read

Trying to understand the differences between similar sounds. Such as seventy and seventeen

Trying to understand follow directions and remember details

A person with APD seems to hear but not listen

Ways to help:

Practice rhyming, sound-blending and using similar sounding words like obvious/oblivious

Talk at a slow pace.

Have one task at a time given to a person.          

The second is Auditory Figure-Ground Discrimination, this is the skill to have the ability to pick out important sounds from a noisy background.

Below are some difficulties a person with APD can run into to:

To distinguishing meaningful sounds from background noise

To have the ability to stay focused on auditory information being given.

Ways to help:

Provide the person with APD seating in the front of the class or near a video monitor

Try to eliminate unnecessary background noise during tasks.