Episode 5: Auditory Processing, The Hidden Disability with Jill Stowell

In this episode:

Auditory processing disorders are really sneaky. Did you know that ADHD and APD can look the same in a classroom?

• Loss of attention
• Not following directions
• Missing information
• Asking questions that were just answered

Does that sound familiar?

Anxiety, depression, low energy, and poor reading and comprehension can also be related to APD.  Your child’s learning problem could actually be a LISTENING problem.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Common symptoms of APD
• Our approach to remediating the challenges of APD
• The science of sound and how music can be used therapeutically
  

Episode highlight:

“Auditory processing is not your hearing. It’s how your brain makes sense of the sounds that come in through your ears.” – Jill Stowell

Did someone say something or was it just a cough? The brain of a person with APD is working overtime to figure out what every little sound could be. Tune into this episode to learn more about the profound impact that auditory processing has on learning and education.

Resources:

• At Wit’s End – Chapters 10 and 16 cover auditory processing, stimulation and training
• Learning Continuum Ladder – Diagram that demonstrates how a strong auditory processing foundation is critical to academic success
• Like Sound Through Water: A Mother’s Journey Through auditory Processing Disorder
• ILS and ABT – Listening programs we use for remediating APD

Bonus Q&A:

Could an auditory processing disorder be misdiagnosed as depression?

The short answer is that while we are not doctors and can’t give a diagnosis, we have seen significant improvements in mood and outlook in our students that undergo sound therapy.

Other questions:

• How can I get the school to recognize this as a disorder?
• My child is in high school, and is exhausted after a lecture- does he have Auditory Processing Disorder?
• My daughter is 15, and her speech is unclear though she has good hearing. Is that a sign of Auditory Processing Disorder?

And many more questions answered in the Bonus Q&A below.