Is this auditory processing, hearing loss, or just the ADHD/Asperger's?

[Misty]

I have a nearly 6yo daughter diagnosed with Asperger's, OCD, ADHD, & Nonverbal Learning Disorder. She also has sensory issues and fine motor deficits for which she attends OT each week.

 

I'm wondering if this is her ADHD and/or Asperger's or does she have an auditory processing thing on the side (or possibly hearing loss?).... When I talk to her, she will sometimes replace my words with other words. Like if I say, "Your clothes are in the dryer." She hears "Your clothes are ON the dryer." If I say, "Please put your coat away", she hears "Please put your shoes away". If I say, "please turn the light off" she hears "please turn the fan off". She does this every day at least twice. The words she is substituting don't even sound like the word I said. It's like she didn't hear it, so she just replaces it with what she *thinks* it might have been.

 

I also have to repeat myself quite often, like if I'm trying to help her put her shoes on and I say "sit down" she usually doesn't hear me until I've said it two or three times. She's not ignoring me, she just doesn't hear me. Her mind is going a mile a minute and it seems like she just can't focus on what other people are saying to her.

 

When we're at co-op, she is the only child who has to be told separately what to do next. The other children hear the group leader and just do it. She is usually talking (she talks non-stop) and that's probably one reason she doesn't hear, but I've noticed that even when she isn't talking, she still doesn't hear what the other children are hearing.

 

She is extremely hyper and spacey and she TALKS TALKS TALKS TALKS at people all day long and everything she says is in a shout.. literally, everything. She cannot regulate her volume AT ALL. I have not had her hearing checked, but I'm starting to think I need to. I always thougt the shouting was because of her Asperger's. Her speech is excellent. She did not have a speech delay.

 

Is this just her ADHD and/or Asperger's or should I look into this more?

 

Thanks!

[westcoastmom]

Try asking her to repeat strings of one syllable sounds that are different. If her auditory memory is weak, she may have trouble remembering even short sentences.

 

ie

ah, me no

po, be, ta, chi

bip, cho, la, nee, to

[Merry]

then she probably doesn't have hearing loss.

[Iris]

for your daughter. My son (high functioning autism) had one about two years ago by Jay Lucker,and he provided us with a very detailed report and recommendations on treatment. I just googled him, and now, the practice is called 'Humanistic Consultants' (?!) I do think the evaluation was worthwhile. If you contact him, I would think he could point you in the right direction for someone in your area.

 

Good luck!

 

Iris

[jensway]

My son had this when he was younger. He has AS and SPD. Something that was suggested to us to try first to see if this behavior needed further intervention was to get his attention. By this I mean first say his name and then tell him what you want done. Such as "Name turn off the lights."

 

We were told that it's not like my son was ignoring me, but that he just tuned stuff out as it seems like they have so much going on inside their heads. Getting his attention first seemed to do the trick for us.

[HeidiD]

I have a nearly 6yo daughter diagnosed with Asperger's, OCD, ADHD, & Nonverbal Learning Disorder. She also has sensory issues and fine motor deficits for which she attends OT each week.

 

I'm wondering if this is her ADHD and/or Asperger's or does she have an auditory processing thing on the side (or possibly hearing loss?).... When I talk to her, she will sometimes replace my words with other words. Like if I say, "Your clothes are in the dryer." She hears "Your clothes are ON the dryer." If I say, "Please put your coat away", she hears "Please put your shoes away". If I say, "please turn the light off" she hears "please turn the fan off". She does this every day at least twice. The words she is substituting don't even sound like the word I said. It's like she didn't hear it, so she just replaces it with what she *thinks* it might have been.

 

I also have to repeat myself quite often, like if I'm trying to help her put her shoes on and I say "sit down" she usually doesn't hear me until I've said it two or three times. She's not ignoring me, she just doesn't hear me. Her mind is going a mile a minute and it seems like she just can't focus on what other people are saying to her.

 

When we're at co-op, she is the only child who has to be told separately what to do next. The other children hear the group leader and just do it. She is usually talking (she talks non-stop) and that's probably one reason she doesn't hear, but I've noticed that even when she isn't talking, she still doesn't hear what the other children are hearing.

 

She is extremely hyper and spacey and she TALKS TALKS TALKS TALKS at people all day long and everything she says is in a shout.. literally, everything. She cannot regulate her volume AT ALL. I have not had her hearing checked, but I'm starting to think I need to. I always thougt the shouting was because of her Asperger's. Her speech is excellent. She did not have a speech delay.

 

Is this just her ADHD and/or Asperger's or should I look into this more?

 

Thanks!

 

It might be helpful to look into it. Just from my own experience - I have a child with aspergers/ocd/adhd, who also talks non-stop (doesn't shout, though). She had been diagnosed with receptive/expressive language delays when she was younger, but has improved immensely. I also have a child who seems to have trouble hearing/processing - he's not autistic but he is dyslexic. He has many of the behaviors you describe. Apparently the symptoms of auditory processing disorder can mimic those of ADHD. I really wanted to find out if he in fact does have an auditory processing disorder rather than ADHD (definitely this would make a difference in teaching approach, materials, and treatments) so we've started the testing process, and the initial hearing tests showed that he has some minor hearing loss that would affect his perception of certain sounds in the higher ranges. When special needs kids have multiple diagnoses and overlapping symptoms, it's not always easy to pinpoint the exact causes, but worth it, I think.

[Misty]

Thanks to everyone for your input. This is all very helpful. I'm going to first start by trying to get her attention *before* I talk to her. She won't look at me most of the time.. Her eye contact isn't good...But it's mostly because her mind is constantly racing and her eyes are pacing and looking around because she is thinking about her next sentence (did I mention she talks non-stop? LOL). But I will try to make sure she is attentive before I speak to her. If this doesn't improve things, I will definitely look into the auditory processing thing further.

 

Thanks again!

[Evergreen Academy]

My eight year old son was adopted at age two, has excellent speech but also substituted words as you describe your daughter doing. He is sweet and very musical and we just thought he was a little spacy, inattentive, not focusing, when he'd give me narrations that were quite far off from the story I'd read him, when he'd substitute words or make cute errors in saying big words - substituting a different first consonant usually. I was thinking he had auditory processing disorder and we just had him screened for hearing - and he has a significant hearing loss in both ears, worse in the left, and will need a hearing aid. When the audiologist described for me his type of hearing loss, it made perfect sense of his behavior, his constant shouting, his inability to focus when their was any background noise.

 

This may or may not be an issue for your daughter, but my son functioned so well I never would have guessed hearing loss was his issue. I would recommend getting her hearing checked - it can't hurt and may give you information you need.

Blessings,

Aimee

mom to 6 great kids, schooling k, 2, 2 and 5

[EKS]

I would start with a hearing screening. In fact I'm surprised this wasn't done as a part of the evaluations that found Asperger's and ADHD. Once you rule that out, I would proceed to the auditory processing evaluation. I do think it's possible that what you are describing is a part of her other issues. And, I have to say, there isn't a whole lot you can do about auditory processing deficits other than know they're there, provide accommodations, and teach the child to compensate.

[Misty]

I would start with a hearing screening. In fact I'm surprised this wasn't done as a part of the evaluations that found Asperger's and ADHD. Once you rule that out, I would proceed to the auditory processing evaluation. I do think it's possible that what you are describing is a part of her other issues. And, I have to say, there isn't a whole lot you can do about auditory processing deficits other than know they're there, provide accommodations, and teach the child to compensate.

 

This sounds like a good plan.. I think I'll do this.. Calling the doctor tomorrow to get a referral.

 

Thanks!

[Misty]

My eight year old son was adopted at age two, has excellent speech but also substituted words as you describe your daughter doing. He is sweet and very musical and we just thought he was a little spacy, inattentive, not focusing, when he'd give me narrations that were quite far off from the story I'd read him, when he'd substitute words or make cute errors in saying big words - substituting a different first consonant usually. I was thinking he had auditory processing disorder and we just had him screened for hearing - and he has a significant hearing loss in both ears, worse in the left, and will need a hearing aid. When the audiologist described for me his type of hearing loss, it made perfect sense of his behavior, his constant shouting, his inability to focus when their was any background noise.

 

This may or may not be an issue for your daughter, but my son functioned so well I never would have guessed hearing loss was his issue. I would recommend getting her hearing checked - it can't hurt and may give you information you need.

 

Thank you... You have convinced me to have her hearing screened! I'll call the doctor tomorrow. And I'll try to remember to post back with results!