for sticky: "What?" listening versus paying attention versus other problems

[prairiewindmomma]

Does your student often need you to repeat yourself? Do they struggle to follow simple directions? How do you sort out what is really going on?

1. The Mislabeled Child can help you learn about information input versus attention issues.  The breakdown could be in any number of places:

a. actual hearing issues (ie mild hearing loss)

b. functional hearing issues (auditory processing--how things get garbled from ear to brain to understanding)

c. working memory issues (does your kid have an internal auditory loop where they can repeat stuff back to you?) (can your kid remember something long enough to go from short term memory to longer term memory?  Can they remember more than 9 words in a sentence?)

d. attention issues: Many, many of us here on the boards have been surprised to learn that inattentive adhd has factored into problems with forgetfulness, listening, processing, and following through with simple tasks.  Do a basic screening to rule it out. 

 

Helping kids with auditory impairments:

1. Speak slowly, with few words. "Teeth, shoes, hair" is more likely to be remembered than "Hey, I need you to go brush your teeth, and take these shoes upstairs with you while you do that. Remember to brush your hair while you're in the bathroom too. We're leaving in ten minutes."

2. Minimize background noise.

3. Provide a visual backup: charts, reference sheets, closed captioning on videos, etc.

4. Programs like FastForWord can help build phonological discrimination. Earobics is a simpler, less expensive program.

5. Clap syllables when teaching a student how to read.

6. Do auditory processing therapy. A bit about evaluation: https://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/apd-evaluation-to-therapy-buffalo-945  Consider getting a filter or FM system if warranted: https://www.ablekidsfoundation.org/capd-management

[kbutton]

Igaps.org is where you can find therapists that remediate APD.

[kbutton]

Having trouble with the rate of speech can also be a sign of APD. 

[SFisher]

It’s important to note that there a bunch of different types of auditory processing disorders. You don’t have to have all of the symptoms to have one type.

Some things that pointed me to an APD diagnosis for my kid:

* seemed sick or upset in very specific sound environments. I now know these are “reverberant” environments. Crowded cafeterias, gymnasiums, museums where a crowd is talking.

* not able to respond to verbal commands quickly and it makes me worry about safety. I don’t have confidence he can respond to commands like “stop” or “freeze” quickly enough to avoid injury to himself or others, so I am more watchful and take more precaution in certain circumstances.

* slow to respond or seems to ignore verbal questions/commands sometimes. Often interpreted as defiance, not cooperating, not caring, not listening. 

* He seems to hear everything and be very aware of all sounds.  (Hypersensitivity subtype)

* things like sticker charts to form new habits/responsibilities work for him, but he didn’t care about the rewards very much. Most likely, it’s the written/visual schedule and routine that does actually work for him. We have switched to using written checklists/schedules for lots of things and have removed rewards and he thrives with this support.