Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) disrupts your child’s ability to listen, communicate, socialize, and achieve academic success. The neurology team at Beyond ADHD diagnoses and treats CAPD at their offices in three New York City neighborhoods: Midtown Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights in Brooklyn, and Elmhurst and Rego Park in Queens. If you notice your child struggling to understand speech, don’t wait to schedule an evaluation. Call the nearest office or request an appointment online today.
CAPD occurs when your child’s brain can’t process what they hear. Something happens in the connections between the ear and brain or inside the brain, affecting its ability to recognize and interpret speech.
When their hearing is tested in a quiet environment, children with CAPD can hear sounds. But they can’t recognize slight differences between sounds in words.
This problem worsens in a noisy environment, like a playground, sports event, school cafeteria, or party. Any type of background noise and being in a large room where sounds echo also make it harder for those with CAPD to discern sounds and understand speech.
In addition to mishearing sounds and words, children with CAPD show other signs of the problem. Your child may:
These signs can also occur due to other disorders, such as speech-language delays, learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and some mental health disorders.
Identifying CAPD and its underlying cause (if possible) is a complex process. The Beyond ADHD team begins by learning about your child’s medical history and hearing issues.
A hearing test rules out hearing loss and determines if the auditory nerve is carrying information to the brain. Your provider evaluates problems with memory, attention, executive function, and your child’s ability to understand and blend sounds in words and syllables.
The team at Beyond ADHD will always individualize CAPD treatment to meet each child’s unique needs. However, treatment often focuses on auditory training, teaching listening skills to compensate for their challenges, and/or modifying their environment. Some children may benefit from assistive listening devices.
If you notice any issues with your child’s ability to hear and understand speech, don’t wait to seek an evaluation. Call Beyond ADHD today or connect online to request an appointment.