Auditory Processing
Interventions
What are the different types of APD interventions?
When hearing sensitivity is normal, but a person does not hear normally, we call it an Auditory Processing Disorder or APD. Most people think of hearing as having to do with their ears, but our ears only transmit sounds. We actually hear with our brains!
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Fast ForWord Program
Fast ForWord has been scientifically proven to improve language and reading skills. This program was designed by neuro scientists who wanted to target the root cause of learning struggles. Fast ForWord provides intensive practice and allows users to utilize their program for up to one year. Students from elementary school through high school can benefit from using Fast ForWord. The exercises done in Fast ForWord focus on specific reading or language tasks while developing other cognitive skills including processing speed, memory, and attention.
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Dichotic Listening Therapy
These activities require the child to listen to two competing speech messages at the same time, or to focus on one message while “tuning out” the message heard in the opposite ear.
The end result is improved listening comprehension and ability to understand the “who, what, where when, how and why” of a message due to strengthening of the corpus callosum. This leads to improvements in socialization skills as well as academic performance. DIID training is tailored to match each child’s specific needs. Noticeable changes are usually apparent after six weeks of training.
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More About Auditory Processing Disorders
Auditory Processing Disorders come in a few varieties.
A decoding deficit may cause someone to “mis-hear” spoken information. It’s like having blurry hearing where one sound is mistakenly heard as another, like in the words “time” and “dime.”
An integration deficit also known as Amblyaudia can make it difficult to connect the two hearing centers on both sides of the brain. This problem often leads to an inability to put pieces of information together into a whole, often leaving the person lost in the details of a message. Kids with auditory integration deficits are often heard saying, “I don’t get it.”
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A prosodic deficit can cause the listener to misinterpret a speaker’s intent or tone of voice, causing problems with understanding sarcasm and humor, which greatly interferes with social skills development.
The diagnosis of an auditory processing disorder is made by a certified audiologist with specialized training in this area. Not all audiologists are trained in auditory processing disorders. The audiologist runs a battery of tests to identify the particular type of APD a person may have so that specific intervention(s) can be recommended for each individual.
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For the past 24 years, Dr. Light’s focus has been on neurodevelopmental audiology and Auditory Processing Disorders. She is highly trained in the diagnosis and management of APD.
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Brainchild Institute
Aleman Building
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Suite 124, Doral, FL 33178
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