Direct Treatment for Auditory Processing Disorder
The SLP concerned with a student’s school success may make suggestions to improve the access to spoken information through several avenues. First, the recommendation of electronic devices which can assist listening through slight amplification of the teacher’s voice may be suggested. In addition, teachers can improve delivery of information through modifications in the classroom. Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) can also be remediated through compensatory strategies which strengthen language, problem-solving, memory, and attention. Many approaches teach children with APD to take responsibility for their own listening success through active listening strategies and problem-solving.
Direct treatment of APD is designed to remediate the specific auditory deficits that are present. There is no single treatment approach that is appropriate for all children with APD. Sometimes home-based programs or computer programs are most beneficial and alternatively treatment at school or in a clinic may work best too. The degree to which an individual child's auditory deficits will improve with therapy cannot be determined in advance. Some children seem to experience complete resolution of their difficulties and others have a degree of deficit for life.
Typically the student with APD will experience a variety of symptoms at school that varies from student to student. These symptoms may include speech or language delays, difficulty with learning or reading; difficulty with muti-task directions and difficulty understanding in noisy environments. They may require frequent repetition of information and have particular trouble when the conversation is complex or abstract.
The following suggestions may be helpful to a student with APD:
Allow the student to work in a quiet corner if necessary. This provides the student a place where there are fewer auditory distractions.
Permit the student to have preferential seating, perhaps considering placement closer to the teacher or at the front of the class.
Alternate classroom activities to elevate the student’s interest and motivation.
Provide information in smaller auditory “chunks” to decrease feeling of overload.
Provide written directions as well as verbal directions to assignments.
Make instructions as simple as possible and be as concise as you can.
Speak at a slower pace.
The student is a visual learner, use flash cards printed in bold bright colors.
Ask the student to close their eyes and visualize the words and the information.
Encourage the student to use memos and notes to themselves in their planners.
