Would you say that, despite having no hearing loss, your loved one doesn't seem able to process the information they hear in the same way as others? There's a chance they have (Central) Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), a complex condition affecting both school-aged children and adults. In CAPD the ears and brain don't fully coordinate, so the person cannot process auditory information normally, even though a standard hearing test appears normal.
Symptoms of CAPD range from mild to severe. It is important to identify and manage these auditory deficits early so that children do not experience speech and language delays and academic problems, and so adults can function fully in the working world. Dr Tami Mehl Audiology assesses auditory processing in both children and adults.
FAQs
Auditory Processing Disorder, also called Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), is a complex condition where the ears and brain don't fully coordinate, so the person cannot process the sounds they hear in the same way others do, despite having normal hearing on a standard test. It affects both school-aged children and adults.
With hearing loss, the ear itself doesn't pick up sound properly and a hearing test shows reduced hearing. With APD, hearing is usually normal on a standard test, but the brain struggles to make sense of what the ears hear, especially in noise. The ears hear but the brain doesn't fully listen, so specialised testing is needed.
Signs can include difficulty following spoken instructions, struggling to understand speech in noisy places, frequently asking for repetition, being easily distracted by sound, mishearing words, and slow or inconsistent responses. In children this can show up as poor listening, reading or spelling; in adults it can affect work and everyday communication.
Yes. Although APD is often discussed in relation to school-aged children, it also affects adults and can interfere with work, study and everyday communication. Dr Tami Mehl Audiology assesses auditory processing in both children and adults, so an evaluation is worthwhile at any age.
The first step is a specialised auditory processing assessment with an audiologist. Because APD doesn't show up on a standard hearing test, a dedicated battery of tests is used to examine how the brain processes sound, including listening in noise and discriminating speech. Contact our Bedfordview or Sandhurst (Illovo) practice to book.
