APD affects how the brain processes sound, making it difficult to interpret speech—even when you may have ‘normal hearing’. This can impact learning, communication, and everyday interactions. At angli-EAR Hearing, we offer comprehensive APD assessments for both children and adults, helping to identify challenges and provide effective management strategies.
Paediatric Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
What is APD in Children?
Auditory Processing helps us:
- Understand speech in noisy or challenging environments
- Follow conversations despite background distractions
- Develop strong reading, spelling, and auditory memory skills
Some children pass standard hearing tests but still struggle to process sounds correctly. This is because their ears detect sound normally, but their brain has difficulty interpreting it.
If your child finds it hard to follow spoken instructions, mishears words, or struggles with phonics, they may benefit from an APD assessment.
APD Assessment for Children
Our child-friendly APD assessment evaluates how the brain processes sound. It helps distinguish APD from attention difficulties or comprehension challenges.
How the test works:
- Your child will complete a game-based evaluation using over-ear headphones and an iPad.
- They will listen to different sounds and words and either repeat what they hear or indicate what they recognise.
- Tests are tailored to your child’s age and specific challenges.
Key areas we assess:
- Dichotic Listening – Can your child repeat words heard in both ears, even when different sounds are played in each?
- Auditory Closure – Can they fill in missing sounds when part of a word is distorted or masked by background noise?
- Temporal Processing – Can they distinguish sound patterns, helping with speech and reading skills?
- Binaural Interaction – Can they combine different sounds presented to each ear in sequence?
Early diagnosis and intervention can make a huge difference in a child’s confidence and academic progress.
Adult Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
Struggling to Follow Conversations? It Could Be APD.
Do you find it hard to hear in noisy or challenging places? Do you frequently ask people to repeat themselves? Do you feel exhausted after long conversations?
APD affects how your brain processes sound, making speech hard to follow—even when your hearing is normal.
Common Signs of APD in Adults:
- Difficulty understanding speech in background noise
- Frequently mishearing words or needing repetition
- Trouble following multi-step verbal instructions
- Difficulty locating where a sound is coming from
- Needing speech to be slow and clear to understand
APD is often mistaken for hearing loss, ADHD, or memory issues—but the root problem is the brain’s ability to interpret sound.
What Causes APD?
The exact cause of APD varies, but possible factors include:
- Genetics – Some people are born with auditory processing difficulties.
- Repeated Ear Infections – Can affect auditory nerve function.
- Birth Complications – Lack of oxygen at birth can impact brain processing.
- Head Trauma – Concussions or injuries can affect auditory pathways.
APD Assessments for Adults
At angli-EAR Hearing, we use the Buffalo Model test battery, a gold-standard assessment for APD.
- Phonemic Awareness – Can your brain correctly process individual speech sounds?
- Dichotic Listening – How well does your brain interpret different sounds entering each ear?
These tests help pinpoint how your brain processes speech and sound, allowing us to recommend effective management strategies.
How to Manage APD
While APD has no single cure, both children and adults can benefit from tailored support and management strategies.
For children, interventions focus on improving listening skills and supporting learning:
- Auditory training programmes – Fun, interactive exercises designed to strengthen auditory processing skills.
- Classroom support – Teachers can use assistive listening devices and seating adjustments to enhance speech clarity.
For adults, management strategies focus on improving communication in daily life:
- Low-Gain Hearing Aids – Enhance clarity in noisy environments.
- Assistive Listening Devices – FM systems help filter background noise in conversations (these can also be used for children).
- Workplace & Lifestyle Strategies – Simple adjustments can improve daily communication.
You don’t have to struggle with APD—whether for a child or an adult, the right support can make a huge difference.
APD Assessment Costs
We offer comprehensive APD testing to diagnose and manage symptoms effectively.
- APD Screening (90 mins) – £245
- Includes hearing test, questionnaire, and preliminary screening tests.
- Full APD Assessment (2 hours) – £695
- A comprehensive test battery evaluating all aspects of auditory processing.
- Includes a full diagnostic hearing assessment to rule out hearing loss.
Take the First Step
If you or your child struggle to process sound, an APD assessment can provide the answers you need.
Call us on 01223 661399 or Book Online today!
