Brain Training Associates, Inc.

2301 Ohio Drive, Suite 130, Plano, TX 75093 (972) 964-8510   www.braintraining.com

Auditory Processing Disorders (CAPD)

TYPE 1: Difficulty understanding accented or inarticulate speech (Word Recognition)

TYPE 2: Difficulty understanding speech in background noise (Figure/Ground)

TYPE 3: Difficulty understanding speech at the rate it is spoken (Speed of Processing)

TYPE 4: Difficulty attending to one conversation and ignoring others (Auditory Attention)

  • Auditory processing disorders have nothing to do with hearing; individuals with CAPD can be functionally deaf to language in spite of normal hearing.

  • Auditory processing disorders can be caused by damage to auditory pathways during pregnancy or infancy due to blocked Eustachian tubes, toxins, heavy metals, viruses, infection, head trauma, billirubin (jaundice at birth), or maternal diabetes.

  • Auditory processing disorders are treatable but may not be completely reversible.

  • CAPD often occurs together with vestibular disorders. 

INDIVIDUALS WITH CAPD

  • Frequently misunderstand what was said or seem to ignore conversations

  • Seem inattentive or easily distracted

  • Seem lethargic or hyperactive

  • Have difficulty learning to read or spell

  • Have difficulty writing (dysgraphia)

  • Have difficulty understanding satire, jokes, and social cues

  • Seems to frequently avoid eye gaze

VESTIBULAR PROCESSING DISORDERS

The vestibular system integrates all sensory input and coordinates survival. It is responsible for:

  • adjusting alertness and arousal states (anxiety or calm)

  • tracking moving objects

  • processing spatial relationships·

  • chewing and swallowing

  • monitoring and controlling the limbs and head

  • maintaining balance

  • adjusting muscle tone, breathing, and heart rate

  • defacation (renal nerve)

  • producing certain types of immune molecules

 

INDIVIDUALS WITH VESTIBULAR DYSFUNCTION MAY:

  • Have difficulty sitting still or may prefer to stand rather than to sit

  • Seem unusually clumsy

  • Have difficulty reading or copying from the board

  • Seem inattentive or move around frequently

  • Seem to become angry with little frustration and may have difficulty calming down

  • May kick, bite, or hit for sensory pleasure (young children)

  • Use self-stimulation behaviors (e.g. swinging feet, chewing, flapping hands, flicking fingers, shaking fingers in front of the eyes, rolling the eyes, shrugging, tapping or rubbing chin or lips, lip smacking, toe walking, shaking head, tapping fingers on palms, hitting or clapping hands, rocking back and forth, swaying, etc.)

  • Had or still have poor muscle tone (e.g. lies on the desk or slouches in the chair)

VISUAL PROCESSING DISORDERS

Visual processing disorders impair the ability to focus, track movement, read, etc. and are often the result of vitamin A deficiency, sleep apnea, diabetes,arthritis, high blood pressure, elevated LDL cholesterol, thyroid disease, demyelinating diseases, stress, brain injury, certain drugs, or abnormal vision in infancy.

SYMPTOMS OF VISUAL PROCESSING DISORDERS

  • looking down when walking

  • visual self-stimulation behaviors

  • slow or difficult reading (skipping lines or words) or poor reading comprehension

  • eyestrain or headache, double vision or blurred vision

  • words seem to move when reading

  • putting head down, rubbing or covering eyes frequentyl when working

  • looking at objects out of the corner of the eyes or bringing objects to the eyes

SCHOOL SURVIVAL STRATEGIES

  1. Give assignments in writing and limit homework and reading assignments

  2. Provide an aide or peer mentor to help explain instructions

  3. Face the child when you speak so that they can monitor your movements

  4. NEVER ask the child look at you when you are talking

  5. Always use 3-D objects or visuals to explain new ideas or vocabulary

  6. Emphasize computer programs, videos, manipulatives, and hands-on activities

  7. Emphasize purpose, meaning and relationships

  8. Provide novelty and variety

  9. Allow the child to stand, pace, or rock in the chair when listening or working

  10. Provide frequent, brief breaks to prevent cognitive fatigue