Central Auditory Processing Disorder

Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), also called Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), is a receptive language disorder, in which a person hears sounds but can't process the information correctly into words and language.

People with this disorder can't recognize the difference between sounds in words even when the sounds are loud enough. That is they can't differentiate between the words that sound similar like hat and cat, or hall and ball. This is because something adversely affects the processing or interpretation of information.

About 5% of the school-going children suffer from this disorder. Children with CAPD can't learn things like other children can. They can't concentrate and pay attention, especially when there is noise in the background. They don't understand what is being said and what to say, and have difficulty in remembering information. They remember only a part of it, but act as though they have understood everything. They feel lost, especially when one than more person is talking and speaking rapidly. Children with this disorder can't maintain focus for long time. They can't maintain the attention required to listen to long lectures in school.

The exact cause is still not known, but some of the possible causes include lead poisoning, chronic ear infections, and head injury. Sometimes, this disorder may be inherited or even caused by a birth defect.

In children, this disorder may be associated with the conditions like autism, attention deficit disorder, developmental disorder, dyslexia, or specific language impairment.

Signs and symptoms can range from mild to severe, and include:

• Difficulty in paying attention
• Difficulty in remembering information
• Difficulty in following verbal directions
• Difficulty in remembering names and places
• Difficulty in repeating numbers or words sequentially
• Difficulty in understanding incomplete sentences

• Difficulty in understanding words, especially in noisy backgrounds
• Require more time to process information
• Poor listening skills
• Behavioral problems
• Language difficulty
• Difficulty in reading and spelling
• Low academic performance

Diagnosing CAPD in children is more complicated and difficult than in adults. Hearing specialists (audiologists) or speech-language pathologists can determine the severity of the condition in children.

Audiologists may perform auditory processing tests to know how well a person can recognize sounds in words and sentences. He will try to identify the cause of the processing problem.

By interacting with a person, speech-language pathologists may find out how well a person understands and uses language.

CAPD can't be cured, but can be treated. There are certain skills, exercises, and structures that help in the treatment by reducing the impact of the disorder.

The most frequently used treatments include speech therapy, reading recovery, and sound stimulation. Sound stimulation is often used in combination with audio-vocal training. Sound stimulation is the best way of improving the function of the sensory system.

Sound stimulation is a kind of physiotherapy in which a person's ear is exposed to carefully monitored sound. This helps in strengthening the neurological pathways and training the ear to listen more clearly and accurately.

There are several strategies available to help people suffering from this disorder. Electronic devices like auditory trainers are given to the people with CAPD. This allows them to focus attention on the speaker and reduce the disturbance caused by background noise.

Certain exercises that help in improving language-building skills are taught to children to increase their learning ability and language base.

A procedure called auditory memory enhancement may also help the people with this disorder by reducing detailed information to a more basic format.

These treatment techniques will help people feel more confident and successful. Remember that any of the above treatment techniques should be used only under the guidance of health providers.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is solely for educating the reader. It is not intended to be a substitute for the advice of a medical expert.