Sara had an auditory processing problem
She tried so hard to listen, but what she was hearing was spotty and inconsistent, like a bad cell phone connection. She tried to fill-in the gaps, but after a while, it just didn't make sense and she couldn't keep her attention on it anymore.
When she tried so hard to listen or keep up, it took all of her attention and she couldn't really think about what the teacher was saying or what she was supposed to be doing on her assignments.
Children with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) present with a variety of characteristics that affect academic performance such as:
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Problems following a sequence of instructions
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Often mis-hears what is said
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Responds more slowly than others
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Difficulty hearing in noise
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Difficulty hearing speakers who do not speak clearly
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Poor reading, writing, and spelling
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reading without comprehension
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Difficulty taking notes
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Poor phonics and speech sound discrimination
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Difficult time memorizing
However, APD cannot be diagnosed from a symptoms checklist. No matter how many symptoms of APD a child may have, only careful and accurate diagnostics can determine the underlying cause. Once the type of auditory deficit is determined, individualized management and treatment activities can begin to address the specific areas of difficulty.
Learning problems don't have to be permanent.
With the right therapy, underlying weaknesses are being significantly if not completely corrected.
