Auditory processing testing and remedial work

[workingmom]

Has anyone checked their children for auditory processing. DD is inconsistent in her school work. She did start KG early and initially we thought its bc she's the youngest and still maturing. She is a hard worker but seems like she doesn't catch all the instructions. I saw this free auditory processing test kit from little giants and basically you read numbers to kids and have them repeat back. She could only get the 5 number sequence which corresponds to age 5 (she's 8, almost 9 in 3 months). I'm just wondering if anyone has used this program or done more. She's an A/B student and the teachers just say she gets easily distracted but otherwise is a hardworker?

[PeterPan]

It's good that you're trying to figure out what's going on! I remember seeing materials from LG when they came to our homeschool convention a number of years ago. What you're describing is working memory, and like you're finding working memory can be auditory, visual, etc. An actual auditory processing eval would be with an audiologist and would go much farther.

When her teachers are saying she gets easily distracted, that's code for ADHD. Some people consider auditory processing issues to be a form of auditory inattention. That's one way to think of it. It's actually more complicated than that. You can have the ears, the two sides of the brain, processing at different speeds, resulting in information the brain struggles to merge, causing extreme fatigue. Others, like SLPs (speech language pathologists) will say that there are usually language issues going on, which can also be true. At the very least, you want to broaden what you're looking at. 

My dd's ADHD and other issues really came to a head around the age of your dd, and for her it was sort of a process. We did an OT eval, psych eval, later had audiology for a screening with the SCAN, got blown off by some SLPs who didn't even bit even though I kept saying stuff. She started meds in high school, and then after her freshman year of college we finally went out to Colorado to AbleKids and did their eval for APD which showed what we already knew, that she had really bad issues discriminating from background noise. She's now using the filter in college and doing GREAT with it, HUGE, immense, astonishing difference. She still uses all her college accommodations (limited people in dorm room, limited distraction testing environment, extended time, powerpoints and lectures ahead, disability academic advisor, etc.), but she's doing great.

We've done lots of things (meds, reflexes, diet, cognitive therapies like digit spans and metronome, language work that I put her through to screen where holes were, etc.), and really I'm over anyone who says any one thing will make it go away. You're probably going to need to do it ALL and address EVERYTHING. My advice is be aggressive, because if she's at that point it's probably affecting her MUCH MORE than she's able to explain. You won't even know how good she CAN be or how much better she can function. And it won't be one thing. 

My dd is super bright like that too, btw. She's on her school's top scholarship, had amazing ACT scores, etc. She just has issues that need support, things that aren't fixable that have to be worked with. And the more capable the dc is, the more they're trying to do, therefore the MORE SUPPORTS they need to be able to let themselves shine. 

If I were making your list, I'd be trying to make happen:

-SLP eval-SLPs are going to note that your APD testing is all being done using LANGUAGE and that there usually turn out to be language issues. Now I'm not saying I buy into this implication that working on language therefore solves it, because that's sort of chicken and egg. Nevertheless, some really good, thorough language testing (not just the CELF or screeners) may turn up stuff. The TILLS, something for pragmatics, something for narrative language, etc.

-psych eval-for the ADHD, discrepancy, SLDs, screenings for things you're not expecting, etc.

-audiology eval with someone specializing in APD. Maybe do it locally and then go out to Able Kids if you see evidence that warrants. Our first evals were at a major univ audiology department near us and that was a good move. Honestly, until you've done audiology and SLP, you don't know what's going on. There could be hearing loss or something you aren't expecting. Not meaning to be morbid, just saying it's the truth. I've put both my kids through audiology, because you need to eliminate explanations for symptoms.

-OT eval-This would be for retained reflexes. Or go online and find lists and youtube videos. Many OTs are NOT TRAINED in reflexes, which is utterly stupid but there you go. You might get major changes working on any reflexes that are retained.

I think cognitive therapies, like working on working memory, metronome for EF, etc. are always good, sure. The reason the evals are useful, on top of that, is to give you data for things you're not realizing. 

[workingmom]

Wow Peter Pan. Thanks for the thorough reply. Meeting with teachers Wed to see if this year's ones notice anything. In the past they've all denied ADHD, although I think she might have symptoms of inattentive ADHD.  I guess the next step should be audiology then. I guess I hadn't thought of it as SLD bc her speech and language are great (she's even reading a second foreign language). 

[PeterPan]

Remember, your ps evals are only to determine whether her disability is affecting her ability to access her education. If she can access her education, THEY DON'T CARE. 

So when you want answers about what is actually going on, that means private evals. It will depend on your insurance, and if you explain your situation people can help you triage and prioritize. 

[Storygirl]

I agree that this sounds closer to inattention and working memory issues than auditory processing.

DS13 had some struggles that caused genuine problems during homeschooling (K-3) and when enrolled in school (grades 4 and up). He had more struggle than what you describe, and I really thought it was auditory processing. We had his hearing tested and an auditory processing screening done by an audiologist. We also saw an ENT and had a speech therapist run some language testing. Nothing significant enough for any diagnoses was found through those tests, but we were referred for neuropsych testing by the ENT team, and we jumped at the chance to have someone dig in and look for more.

It turns out that DS has lower working memory. Lower fluid reasoning. Executive function weaknesses and inattention. In his case, none of those things are severe enough to end up with a diagnosis, even ADHD. Yet this weaknesses were causing enough havoc that he had developed anxiety, and he was able to get a 504 at school with the anxiety diagnosis.

It was a long and frustrating journey to figure this out, because he had enough issues that it created real stumbling blocks for him and was at times frustrating for teachers as well, yet he didn't test low enough in any tests to reveal what the root issues were. In his case, the combination of the weaknesses created real problems.

One of the main things that happened with DS in school is that he would miss parts of the directions, which is why we thought an auditory problem. This sounds similar to what you are describing with your child.

But it's inattention, in DS's case, coupled with lower working memory.

[Storygirl]

PeterPan gave a good list of things you can check for. My suggestion list would be:

* Get hearing tested by an audiologist (not just the screening at a pediatrician's office). Look for an audiologist who will screen for auditory processing as well. That test starts with a brief screening exam and only proceeds to full testing if problems are flagged by the screening. We were able to have this done for free at our university audiology clinic.

* Get eyes tested by an optometrist.

* Ask the pediatrician if s/he will do ADHD screening or refer you out to a psychologist (can test but can't prescribe meds) or psychiatrist (can test and prescribe meds). Some pediatricians do this in office and some do not. Some people do not want the ped to do it, even if they are willing, because they want an expert, so you will need to think that over for yourself. If the pediatrician doesn't want to listen because it doesn't look severe enough to them, don't be shocked, this can happen. Be ready to insist and make your case for ADHD looking different in girls (you can research this).

* After looking at the ADHD possibility, you may want to look for an educational psychologist to run testing called the WISC, as well as other educational evaluations. The school can do this for you, but only will do so if you can convince them that there is a possible disability, and with what you describe, I doubt they would agree to test. You can get those same kind of tests done privately. Which can be expensive, but we considered it worthwhile. We had access to a neuropsychologist and insurance covered it, because we had gone through a hospital system and had a referral from the ENT, but most times people end up paying out of pocket for educational testing. Going to an educational psych should be less expensive and have a shorter waiting time than going to a neuropsych. And NP is probably overkill for what you describe, so ed psych is what I'd suggest.ed

I believe the ed psych should be able to run the ADHD testing for you, as well, if you just want to tackle it all at once instead of considering ADHD first through the doctor.

If you google and then call around, you should be able to get info about waiting lists, whether places take your insurance, and whether you need a referral.

PeterPan is right that the school will not be willing to take on investigating this unless it is having a significant impact on the child accessing her education. So private testing is likely your best option.

Edited to add: The WISC is a test that will break down what is happening with working memory, fluid reasoning, verbal and nonverbal apptitude, and overall IQ, so it provides a wealth of info.

Edited October 8, 2018 by Storygirl

[workingmom]

Thanks storygirl. I do think its more inattention than an auditory processing. We did get Optho to eval and although it was a slight prescription they went ahead and prescribed bc she was complaining of not seeing the board. I just called audiology to see what they can do here. I think a lot of it is executive function skills. she's what we affectionately call an "airhead" happy go lucky scatter brained. But can get As in LA and math when she focuses. I think once audiology is done I'm going to sit down and focus on afterschoolign some basic study skills/executive function skills and reading comprehension. Maybe even do those number sequences she missed.

 

 

[Storygirl]

Sounds like a good plan!

Just so you know, it's possible for a student to get a 504 without qualifying for the full school testing (the full evaluations are necessary for an IEP, but they will only do them if they suspect disability). If you get a diagnosis of a hearing issue or ADHD, it is possible to take that info to the school and ask them if she could have a 504 plan.

That is what we did for DS13. In his 504, he has accommodations such as

*frequent checks for understanding by the teacher

* preferential seating toward front of room

* Teacher confirms that he understands instructions

* Testing in a quiet room (DS is distracted by ambient noise)

* Additional time for testing if he needs it

And this did not end up in his 504, but one of his teachers said she would write instructions on the board, because she noticed that he would always look around to see what others were doing, because he missed the instructions. For example, she would write page numbers on the board when she told them to turn to a certain place in the text.

One of the things that may be most helpful for you to work on with her is asking questions when she does not understand something. And knowing when to raise her hand in the moment and when to ask the teacher privately, which is not always easy to know automatically. You can alert the teachers that she misses information and has been taught to ask questions, so that they don't get annoyed if it tends to happen often. We found that alerting teachers to the issues reduces the incidences of the teachers being annoyed or confused by unexpected behavior.

[PeterPan]

You might want to get her eyes screened by a developmental optometrist, since the amount of her scrip doesn't explain her complaints. She might have convergence issues or something else going on. Pretty common.

[exercise_guru]

My son has Auditory processing disorder and we have gone the gambit of all other kinds of screening. The screening is done by a clinical audiologist stroingly trained for screening in a booth. If your insurance will cover it I say yes yes yes ! do it!

My son was 8 almost 9 when diagnosed and while he still misses information and context at times he has made some excellent improvements the last year. Feel free to pm me but I strongly recomend trying Hearbuilder Auditory Memory. Its affordable and very good. Fast Forword has reigned king in our house. My son was unable to do the auditory memory and tested 2- 3 standard deviations low on 4 of the 6 subtests for APD. Then we did all kinds of therapy. Next year....no improvement. .... Then we did Fast Forword Levels 1 and he went up to low normal in all levels of APD testing. His reading went from grade level to 11th grade and the teachers tell me he is doing well. They noticed a huge improvement in his verbal skills and in his academics and focus. I then had him continue Level 2 and now he is doing the reading levels2-4 until our subscription runs out. We have a coach who checks our scores and helps us work on challenges we are having. I paid for this out of my pocket and have my son do this for 45 minutes everyday before school. It is around 800 for the program plus around 600 for a year of coaching with a private coach. It has truly been the best money I have ever spent. you could check some of my other posts. I wish they would make this program available to every kindergartner because it helps many different areas ( Auditory attention, and Auditory memory to name a few) my son could not do the hearbuilder Auditory memory before FF. He would climb under the table but he was able to complete the entire AM program in 6-8 weeks after finishing level 1 of FF.

 

I am very defensive about APD being misdiagnosed as "executive skills" because when my son did fast forword the program does exercises in 3 different levels. My son could do the 2 k frequency with no problem but it took him 5 times as many repetitions and triple the number of days to master the same exercises in the 500Hz range. He also could not ignore kids rustleing around him and definitely don't put that kid by the air conditioner as that hum makes it near impossible for him to focus on the teacher and get the auditory information. The worst is when they want him to take notes on a classroom video.

Our 504 requires front row seating. We also used an FM system in the other school because it had very poor accoustics. The teacher provides written instructions and follows up to make sure my son didn't miss information. He also has headphones ( just regular headphones with the chords cut off ) he can wear during exams or when he needs to concentrate. I donated these sets of headphones and many other students appreciate them and use them. 

Also I do want to let you know my son also has dysgraphia and was diagnosed with convergence insuficiency. We paid big money and fought my insurance to get him vision therapy. It did help with certain elements and I am glad we did it but I wish we would have done fast forword sooner. 

The school would provide no help to my son without this diagnosis. He is very smart kid with a high IQ. The teachers just thought he was being naughty. Once they moved him to the front row and put an FM system on that kid it was like the world changed. 

 

OH and his audiologist also recomended temporal timing like rhythm and music so he has taken guitar lessons since he was diagnosed and also I purchased interactive metronome. We did 6 sections and we will go back and do 10 more over christmas break. I just don't have time right now as we are racing to do more fast forword before it expires. 

[workingmom]

Thanks exercise guru! My insurance should cover a lot. I’m going to set up audiology and I’ll PM you once I get those results. Thanks

Ps i truly appreciate everyone taking the time to respond. It really helps clarify some issues and makes others seem like non issues

[PeterPan]

7 hours ago, exercise_guru said:

we are racing to do more fast forword before it expires. 

Remind me, you paid for it or got it through a school?

[Storygirl]

workingmom, this may be obvious, but I'll state it anyway, just in case.

Be sure to ask whether the audiologist will screen for APD and how it is done before you make the appointment. Because, believe it or not, some audiologists and ENTs do not believe that APD exists (our ENT told us this, flat out). Make sure you go to someone who will be willing to listen and consider your concerns.

 

[Storygirl]

Also, to address exercise-guru's concerns about APD being dismissed as EF (since I may be the one who steered the OP toward considering EF as a possibility)...

I just wanted to clarify that I think it is wise to check for auditory processing troubles and listed that in my suggestions. However, it is important to be aware that EF difficulties can present this way.

I was not aware! We spent a lot of time and medical appointments trying to pinpoint the auditory processing and/or hearing issues we were dealing with. I posted a lot about it on the LC board back then, because I was seeking answers and not finding them. I was convinced that it must be APD and was confused when we were told that it was not after testing by the audiologist. I didn't know where to turn next for answers.

Discovering that it was EF, in the case of my son, was a light bulb moment, and explained so many years of struggle. It changed everything about the way we were viewing things. It would have made a huge, huge difference in those early years of homeschooling that were so hard for both him and me.

So I just think people should know that some EF issues can resemble APD, and that it should be on the list of things to check for. Suggesting that is not (at least on my part) a way of diminishing auditory processing concerns. It's good to look at all possibilities, because there are multiple things that could be at the root of the symptoms.

[exercise_guru]

I paid for a one year subscription to FF it was through a private coach. There was not one local but a very knowledgable person in the state I lived prior to moving. She coached us on the internet. She problem solved numerous issues to help with impulsivity and precision. Since it was not local she charged me a reasonable amount to do this. She was invaluable and I do think it is the one thing we have done in the last 5 years that has been worth every penny and every minute we did it. At the time it was a long slog of morning 45 minute sessions. I sat with my son each morning for the first 4 months but after I bribed and cajoled and encouraged he now does it all by himself as the program was designed. I really do believe it retrained his brain and his auditory process. He will always have CAPD but this helped immensely. 

[workingmom]

So had the testing yesterday with Childrens' Audiology. They did hearing test first which she's fine on. Then on the CAP testing of the 4 subsets she only was low (by 1.5 SD) on the speech in noise test. which essentially had trouble decidpering a key word with background noise. However this was similarly tested in some of the other subsets and she was fine. He suggested since we mentioned reading comprehension to get a referral to the speech and langue testing. after lots of though I'm wondering if I'm over testing? bc her teachers say yes she's sometimes distracted but she's an A/B student, the youngest in her class (we probably shouldn't have done early KG) and curious. But she's not nearly at the bottom and once you get her attention she's very hardworking and good effort.

 

Called to make appointment for the speech and language and the speech pathologist called back saying she doesn't need this screening since essentially no issues?

Now I'm really thinking its so minor or maybe she just needs some simple strategies at school. 

Any thoughts from people who've done the testing and it turned it it was fine or minimal and what did you do?

[Storygirl]

I was about to respond to your last question, then I scrolled through the thread and found that I have already said what I was about to say about our experiences with this kind of trouble. I won't repeat.

Instead, I'll ask if she has been screened for ADHD, since inattention can look like auditory issues? If not, you might consider looking into it.

With DS, we had all of that kind of testing, which showed weaknesses but not enough to get a diagnosis, and it was discouraging, because we so wanted to help him. It's not uncommon. In fact, there is another mom on the boards who is constantly facing the same issues, where she knows there is something wrong, but she can't get people to test, or the testing doesn't get to the root of the issue. I'm not sure how helpful it is to know, but you are not alone.

DS is now in seventh grade, and I think he has learned to accommodate more for himself, because he has fewer troubles in school now. If things become challenging again, I think my plan would be to revisit the ADHD question.

[PeterPan]

3 hours ago, workingmom said:

she only was low (by 1.5 SD) on the speech in noise test. which essentially had trouble decidpering a key word with background noise.

I can tell you that speech in noise was the only thing my dd flagged at a clinical level on her APD testing when we finally flew out to Colorado to Able Kids, that it was giving her significant problems in real life, and that the filter has RADICALLY IMPROVED her ability to function. Docs tend to blow off and dismiss stuff they don't have the ability to fix. There might be some way to fix that dichotic listening and background noise issue, sure. Like in theory do reflexes affect it or would some kind of metronome work or something help? I don't know. I have no solid evidence of that, and I had a huge problem to solve.

So in the ps 1.5SD is enough to get them labeled with the disability. My advice would be pursue it. My dd was 19 when we finally went out. 

[kbutton]

4 hours ago, workingmom said:

So had the testing yesterday with Childrens' Audiology. They did hearing test first which she's fine on. Then on the CAP testing of the 4 subsets she only was low (by 1.5 SD) on the speech in noise test. which essentially had trouble decidpering a key word with background noise. However this was similarly tested in some of the other subsets and she was fine.

The speech in noise can sometimes get better right around her age from what I understand (something about the communication between brain hemispheres maturing greatly at this age). I personally think it's also something that can be worked on indirectly with body work/retained reflex work. Sounds crazy, I know, but after my son did VT that incorporated significant body work (including some reflex work), he had great improvement in his vision and AMAZING improvement in his ability to hear speech in noise.

My son does have a CAPD diagnosis, and this was not his only issue. But he went from being functionally deaf in a noisy environment to reasonably functional hearing. Also, as reflexes have integrated, he started having more sensory issues related to his auditory processing issues. 

My son's biggest issue is the rate at which he can take in speech. I forget the formal name of the testing category, but he was in the 1st percentile for that one. If someone slows their rate of speech to about 75%, he is super comfortable and doesn't miss nearly as much. 

I would stack up some observations about her ability to hear and respond in noise, and I think it could be worth pursuing accommodations. The school will want to know how it's affecting her, and those observations help. I personally think it might also be good to keep things in mind down the road for note-taking, following directions, etc. My son is currently getting training from the SLP on how to handle "too much" language (which is how everyday talking is to him). He is learning to be a "selective" listener and to know what he's hearing and what's he's not so that he can go back and have logical ways to revisit what he missed. For instance, we hope to have him get good at taking notes with a Livescribe pen, which allows you to key a recording of a lecture to where you are in the notes. We assume that's going to be absolutely necessary for him. 

 

[exercise_guru]

WM I was going to respond to your pm but let me post here. I think going forward you have a few options all of which can only help your daughter but all cost some level of money. 

Fast Forword 45 minutes 5 days a week. It would help with reading comprehension,attention and improved all areas of the CAPD test in my son up over two standard deviations. there is no downside except the cost and time. I personally believe all kids should be offered this in first grade. We could chat about this if its something you are interested in. 

Hearbuilder auditory memory . It is far more affordable.. less than 100 dollars and the auditory part is good practice. The thing is my son could not do this before FF but afterward flew through it. 

Soundstorm is an app that is on the IPAD its under 300 and designed specifically for kiddos that have a hard time hearing in noise . The thing is its an australian program. the accent isn't strong but its there. We will be doing this in January . I had to wait because I am focusing on letting my son finish all levels of the FF I paid for including the reading. I figured since I paid for it I should get every bit out of it I could. 

I say do some intervention. I was very skeptical but I have become a believer in doing these programs to help provide extra "therapy" to the weak spots in a child skill set. 

Also I think FF even helps kiddos with EF issues. Most likely they even have AP issues without testing for it. My son gained a lot of attention and focus in auditory environments . I keep him on the front row and for the most part things have vastly improved. Its still not perfect and we have a long road ahead but its what we are doing. 

Also there is the ABLE kids place in colorado with their filter. It would help. As would an FM system in school if she is in public school it is essential. We do not live near colorado but that was my next plan if FF was ineffective. 

For my sons specific case I pursued FF on my own and paid for it on faith (around 12- 1400 in total) I sat with him and worked through the levels and witnessed myself the improvement. Also the improved testing was significant. 

I am quite busy until after halloween but I am happy to chat with you if you would think I could be of help. 

[exercise_guru]

I wanted to add something else about co-morbid conditions. I suspect all of these kiddos have some issues with auditory processing. Its hard to test, Its hard to remediate and in some cases its hard to accommodate. For us we chose to have my son be on the front row. In soccer he plays the right side of the field so he can hear the coach . We should use an FM system and will use it next year while the school is under construction. My son has a very hard time working with people with accents. 

When they talk about "hearing in noise" often it is the front constanant that is not quite getting picked up quickly. Fast changing speach makes the brain of a CAPD child slow down to catch everything and sometimes they do appear tuned out. Also noise is primarily in the lower frequencies so my son was missing important speach information because he could not process in that 500Hz range. This was when we had a breakthrough. Fastforword has an awesome game set that moves the kids to "normal" levels in all frequencies. I personally believe that is why his speach in noise test improved so significantly when we tested him in August. 

I liked fast forword because it combined 3 other auditory programs in a package and they are so stupid because they push it for reading intervention but the real growth in the first 4 months is from stimulating the auditory center . They start with the smallest part of the sound and continue all the way through 5th grade reading. We did the year subscription. My son could never remember the lyrics to songs and sing. Now he sings all the time. He catches verbal information and even started taking notes in class. It was a slog and I admit I thought paying our coach was going to be a waste of money but she earned it and I truly thank god everyday we did it. We are now to the last level where there is reading comprehension, sentence editing, homophones and I hope we get to finish it before December 1st when our subscription expires. 

My son was restested after going through the first two levels of sound processing. He improved 2 standard deviations in every area of that test. INCLUDING speach in  background noise even though FF doesn't have that element. The program is well designed with a lot of rewards and motivations. It also doesn't let a child feel like they are failing it keeps them challenged at the level they are at without them stressing. I just love it and if someone wants an affordable option the coach I worked with let me demo the software before paying for it and that truly helped me to know if it would help my son.  I wpuld go private with Fastforword they hard sell the product for a shorter time if you go directly and way overcharge you. We purchased the subscription through our coach and it was half the cost we still came out ahead even paying her for the coaching AND it was for an entire year.  We added in Hearbuilder and accoustic pioneer for auditory memory.  My son failed hearbuilder until after we did fastforword then came back and flew through the programs.  With Hearbuilder, I didn't know it at the time but there is a setting in the controls that allows you to add background noise at different levels throughout those games.  you might appreciate that feature. I didn't get a chance to use it. 

My son had a lot of areas of the CAPD test that were down two standard deviations ( 4 out of 6 areas) The first year we tried a lot of stuff and none of it made a difference when we retested. He was getting older and I felt it was time to bring out the big guns so This is the sequences we followed It is probably more information than WM needs but maybe it will be of benefit to someone else. We work with three Speach pathologists,  and a coach for Fast Forword.   The speach pathologists were of limited help I had to find fast forword on my own but it was a dang good find!

This was our calendar starting December 2018. We had already finished a year of speach therapy focusing on games for the auditory system, ILS, Retained Reflexes and vision therapy. His CAPD test was still exactly the same so this is what we did. 

Dec1 to March 5  

FF  Foundations 1 ( so worth it really that skygym targetted all frequency ranges , Noise is in the 500Hz range and my son struggled through all of that but eventually mastered it.)

 

• Sky Gym
• Moon Ranch
• Robo-Dog
• Ele-Bot
• Space Commander
• Hoop Nut
• Whalien Match

 

March  to May

Then we continued on to Foundations 2

 

·           Jumper Gym

·           Polar Planet

·           Tomb Trek

·           Paint Match

·           Cosmic Reader

 

We finished everything but Jumper gym and it was critical so I paired that with Hearbuilder Auditory Memory and another program by accoustic pioneer these were strongly encouraged by our CAPD speach Therapist specialist

May through July but there was overlap as we finished games in FF we added in Hearbuilder games and AP games.  

FastForword Jumper Gym ( its like a very sophisticated simon sound game. )

Hearbuilder Auditory Memory http://www.hearbuilder.com/

Accoustic Pioneer Accostic Pioneer Zoo Caper IPAD 

So this is where we hit auditory memory. 

Then we put him back in the booth as it had been one year. The results were incredible. 

We took a break for a bit and then I decided to have him finish the FF reading part 2-5 because it would shore up and help him practace the auditory reading, comprehension and reasoning. 

August through December 1,2019

Finish the FF Reading levels 2 through 5

In December  and January 2020

We will work on the home program of Interactive Metronome. I am not sure he even needs it. Something changed after the second part of FF foundations, his rhythm is very good now but since I paid for it WE ARE DOING IT!

January February and March we will be doing Soundstorm Soundstorm for the IPAD I will report back on that as it really shores up Hearing in noise. 

 

 

FINISH AUDITORY THERAPY AND START BRAVEWRITER OR SOMETHING SIMILIAR

Edited October 30, 2018 by exercise_guru

[exercise_guru]

OH I should mention that ABLE kids sounds very promising. My son had wonky ear tube in his left ear that they surgically corrected two years before he started fast forword. A filter would have been helpful but I suspect we re mediated him past that now. His speach in Noise was fine now that we finished the remediation. i do not think that would be the case for all kiddos because there is a lot going on. My original plan was to do FastForword-Hearbuilder- Soundstorm and then go to Able kids but with his new testing I am not sure it is needed but given that the speach in noise test is where she is struggling perhaps that is a high priority to explore first . 

[workingmom]

So I spoke with FF and they thought given  DD testing that she wasn't quite in need of their program. She recommended we try some of the other strategies and then reevaluate in a year. So I've bumped the info to the classroom teacher, lets see.

[exercise_guru]

Ask to put her on the frontrow to see if it makes a difference.  Also in our area ANY child can have access to an FM system if the school audiologist facilitates it. If you tried that alone it would tell you a lot about how much auditory information is playing into the experience she is having at school. If it didn't make a difference then you could wait and see but if it was like the lights went on???  Also she might be experiencing some listening fatigue in school. My son its very obvious when they have bombarded him with english and listening and writing for too long. This is when he wilts. Also another way you could help is just reading at night with her. You read for awhile and let her follow along. Then have her read quietly or outloud while you sit with her. This yields a lot of auditory awareness and would help every child. 

 I would strongly encourage you not to wait a year to do anything. That is a lot of reading growth and listening comprehension that really matters. Keep an eye on her reading and auditory memory that is what really needs to take off if you are going to keep her at grade level. My son received an A in Spelling and language arts and wrote a paragraph comparing cats and dogs. It was AMAZING . Let me share the letter that I just sent to our Coach because I remember being so confused about what auditory processing even was. I also received very little help from the professionals. 

If you want to take the easy path and have an ipad just have the audiologist sign a release for Accoustic pioneer and Hearbuilder. They are both affordable and would give her a lot of listening practace. Hearbuilder even has a background noise element. If she struggles doing those programs you know you have bigger issues and can pursue it. Hearbuilder is for the PC or pad I am not sure for accoustic pioneer. 

Also if you want to talk to our private FF coach about fastforword she is very knowledgeable and has been doing it for 25years of teaching.   She is very busy and has a lot of students so she would not recomend FF unless your daughter would really benefit from it.  I actually hate recommending FF because I hate their staff that you call and everything they told me was wrong. Its amazing program with a terrible business model and terrible staff. I only sing its praises because honestly it is the only remediation program we tried that yielded significant growth in multiple areas. When I paid for that program last December I was a total skeptic. I was irritated at the cost and the daily practice but the results have been amazing and I wish I had had my son on fast forword when he was 5 or 6. We lost a lot of years and money that could have been solved at a much younger age. Its not a cure but it definitely helped him to build AP in many areas that will benefit him in the future. 

I have been meaning to post this here and it might be helpful for me to reference other parents in the future. 

 

 

Dear Coach

These are the test documenting the retest of my son's auditory processing. 

he now tested above normal in all areas meeting the  criteria benchmarks  used for  diagnoses of auditory processing disorder. While the data is important to have, it truly doesn't show the entire picture of of my son's Improvement. The audiologist was amazed at the improvement and is looking int FF as a remediation tool for other kiddos who test below average in the Auditory processing area. 

 

It is worth noting that in Sky gym my son experienced significant Remediation in the 500 Hertz range. This is primarily the frequency range of most background noise he would experience in the classroom and on the soccer field.  I strongly believe this was the most critical aspect where my son reached a turning point. His therapist knew of no  way to re-mediate this specific weakness. I should point out that before he started fast forward the testing did not have a testing procedure to diagnoses  this specific weakness other than the speech in noise test.  I am forever grateful that fast forward addressed remediation through all frequency ranges and at different speeds and pitches. To provide further context prior to fast forword my son would often appear disinterested, confused or  "checked out:" or distracted . Now he is far more attentive in class and at home. 

 

There was there was one aspect that was fascinating to observe as my son went through the program. When my son first started he was distracted easily and impulsive. he had a very difficult time tuning his mind to really listen when he was doing in the FF games. As he progressed through the program he developed the ability to tune his attention and his listening skills to better focus and concentrate. when we first started the program there could be absolutely no background noise or distraction. now while he is doing the fast forward reading sections he is even able to  concentrate with background noise or the Family Hustle that happens sometimes when you have more than one child.

 

His auditory memory has improved significantly his therapist can give him three words and ask him to use them in a sentence. in the past my son could not remember one word  he was supposed to place in the sentence so alone three words while he was forming a sentence Many times these are very random words like umpire, facilitate and chocolate cake.

 

My son also grew in guitar and jumped an entire year in playing.  Initially  he could not decipher  two different  notes on a guitar whether or not they were higher or lower. His guitar teacher is impressed with his growth. I was playing a song today and he came over and told me " mom the note your are playing is a flat. He moved my hand up and then ask me to play it. Sure enough I was playing the wrong note. He had heard the incorrect note from across the room while playing a video game. 

 

Before fast forward my son could not remember the lyrics to songs to sing them. now he has memorized the entire Moana soundtrack and sings it all the time.

 

I was most impressed that he is now taking notes in class while the teacher is speaking. Right now it's math but I am amazed as  my son could never listen to someone and process it and take notes prior to doing fast forward.

 

I did send you his reading growth. He went from being a grade level  of 4th grade .  The semester after FF he was tested at an 11th grade level.  His reading test after finishing fast forward was a lexile of 1350. The teacher didn't think it was accurate so tested him again with the same result. she was so impressed she called me and so did the principal .He received a certificate of reading achievement for it. The teacher also complimented his improved verbal expression and focus and attention in the classroom.

 

I think we sold the reading portion short on Fast Forward. He has been going through the remaining levels. I think it has been a help to him. I hope to continue to see Improvement in his sentence formation vocabulary and use of words in writing and in speech. Though his reading is great I view this part of the program as great  practice and hope it is  supporting the prior work.

 

certainly reading Assistant Plus would be a very good program and worth future consideration. 

 

In the interest of disclosure I did use two other programs after foundations and before the reading portion of FF . These were HearBuilder auditory memory and acoustic pioneer Zoo caper. They worked intensely auditory memory and dichotic listening. There was an element in the program to remembering things when there's distracting sound in the background. This was on the recommendation of our SLP and worked in perfect harmony with the levels in fast forward. I paired those with the last month of Jumper gym and it was highly effective.

 

I hope you find this information useful we are grateful very much for all of your help and for the growth that my son has made.

Edited October 31, 2018 by exercise_guru