Auditory Processing Disorder

[onemoretime]

Anyone else have experience with this? I've never been formally diagnosed, but I do have several of the symptoms: people will talk to me and though I try to listen, it just doesn't register, I can't hear people in very noisy environments, not to mention that often, I'll get caught trying to explain some idea in my head, but I can't seem to "translate" it into English. I'm also awful at anything that requires sequential thinking and organization. Any familiarity?

 

[Fidelia]

One of my friends has this. She also has trouble making some words come out even though she knows them. It's like something gets stuck or lost somewhere.

 

[lunalum]

I have auditory processing issues as part of my cluster of issues that together compose asperger's syndrome. They are very common in that context, but there are still others with auditory processing disorder as an isolated problem. It's a little tricky even today, but when I was little it was pretty bad. Half the time the things people said sounded like a jumbled mess, the sounds just do not connect to words and to meanings sometimes.... nowadays I often need people to repeat things a few times, and I cannot talk to people in noisy environments. This is also why I do not like using phones, and remain very quiet around those who talk about a million miles an hour. Let me know if you have any more questions, I'd be glad to help out with my experience and such.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Lol. I never heard about that before, but when I read that text on wikipedia, it matched exactly a usual problem of me, although I don't think it's strong enough to call it a "disorder". In fact, I have a very good ear, which is working perfectly in every area besides talking. But I often have big issues understanding people if I don't concentrate completely on them. People often have to repeat what they're saying, and even if not, I usually do exactly what is standing in the article: I fill in the gaps myself. Also, I constantly forget what I wanted to say, but not only completely,instead most times just HOW to say it rather than WHAT.

 

[prplchknz]

if it's dark and can't see their face i have a hard time understanding people. I also miss words or miss hear words.but not sure if I have auditory processing disorder

 

[Sunny Ghost]

Anyone else have experience with this? I've never been formally diagnosed, but I do have several of the symptoms: people will talk to me and though I try to listen, it just doesn't register, I can't hear people in very noisy environments, not to mention that often, I'll get caught trying to explain some idea in my head, but I can't seem to "translate" it into English. I'm also awful at anything that requires sequential thinking and organization. Any familiarity?

One of my friends has this. She also has trouble making some words come out even though she knows them. It's like something gets stuck or lost somewhere.

if it's dark and can't see their face i have a hard time understanding people. I also miss words or miss hear words.but not sure if I have auditory processing disorder

yes, yes and YES.

i've never heard of this before. before i found out i was an ISFP and had inferior Te, i just thought maybe i had some sort of learning disorder. my dad always got angry at me for having what he called "selective listening." when i watch movies, i use subtitles a lot to help me follow the story better. words make more sense and hit on a more intellectual or a deeper level, when i can see them versus hear them.

i also loved that you said you have a hard time translating out your ideas. i often have a very similar problem. i tried to explain this to a friend once, and described it as a disconnect between my brain and mouth. ha. i've been focusing on journaling more to help with this some, as well as using a dictionary often. but also, even if i know a word, i'll often botch it trying to pronounce it. amongst my friends, it's a funny and unique quirk of mine to change words as to make them easier for me to pronounce.

i've always figured it was just because i was far more attentive with my eyes than with my ears.

 

[Sunny Ghost]

i used to also have maaaaaajor problems with attempting to listen but not hearing anything. with my parents, friends, teachers. it was really difficult in school. i would try so hard to focus and listen, but i would only hear, "womp, womp, womp..." this has gotten better only in recent years. however, people still get angry at me for not listening and suddenly chiming in with some other topic. that may be due to actual non listening... my ex swore i was add because of this.

i'm also really really slow at catching on to lyrics in music. :[ i usually have to look them up to learn them.

 

[CrystalViolet]

Eh, I'd say it's a distinct possibility for me. I've suspected it before. When I was younger the possibility that I had a learning disorder cropped up many a time, this fits better than dyslexia.....plus I was deaf for the first four years of my life, it wouldn't be a great surprise, if I had difficulties stemming from that, or for that matter a great deal of compensatory abilities.
In fact after reading a few articles, and pondering a little bit, eh, I say, maybe there's a bit more of a suspicion. I have a good deal of compensatory behaviours....as well as a few classic give aways, problems with word retrieval, and putting words to concepts in my mind. The fact that there is no way on earth I can ever remember a sequence of numbers conveyed to me verbally.... I always have write them down, same with spelling out words.
Even now, I have trouble writing out complete sentences.....hate the telephone, unless I know the person on the other end really well.
I don't do noisey bars at all (I sweat bullets, because I can't hear any one or figure out what they are saying....reading body language to extropolate doesn't quite have the same potency, or ellucidate the same meaning from conservation in this situation). Interesting.

 

[rav3n]

Did you say something? Sorry, I didn't catch it.

 

[Amethyst]

I think I have it...I can't understand anyone on the phone, and I hear things differently than other people...Like, I'll hear the same thing, but I'll put the syllables together in my head differently.

If you say, 'I want to go to McDonald's later', I might hear 'Iwa nto gotomc donads ayta'. (Maybe not that extreme or that often, but I get them confused enough that people think I'm deaf or something) I have no hearing problems with tests, it just processes differently in my head.

 

[Redbone]

Two of my kids had this. One 'grew' out of it. He just had maturation issues with it. My other child had an unusual form of it where her left ear was dominant. Her raw data on her processing indicated she probably used the right side of her brain in language. Even now when you talk to her, there is a slight 'lag' time and she is highly dependent on being close by or picking up non-verbal cues. It is a lot better than it used to be but her scores and processing will never be normal.

Did you have trouble learning to read? Not all people with auditory processing do but some can. It's the sound/symbol and symbol/sound that can really get them.

What is your dominant hand?

I almost forgot, there is a program called Fast Forward that was really pushed to helping kids with this disorder. I never used it for mine (it was costly) but I did use a program called Earobics that worked well for them. An audiologist can test you but you might have to see one at a children's hospital.

 

[Sunny Ghost]

For me... it's hard to say if I did have trouble learning to read or not... I was born in another country with another language originally, then moved to the states middle of first grade. I had to take speech classes and use hooked on phonics to catch me up to speed. Not to mention the fact that I was always really really shy and timid. So I didn't communicate much in general with others.

As I had already mentioned, I always wondered if I had a learning disorder of some sort growing up... or possibly just A.D.D... but it's hard to say if it's the communication errors and being shy that made me lag behind (just from general lack of communicating and therefore lack of learning via through communicating), or if I didn't communicate with others because of a problem I was unaware of. My mom tells me all the time that people simply thought I was mute as a young child. And I can look back and see myself as having existed in a bubble, completely apart and uncommunicative with the world outside myself.

For me, the problem persisted up until only recent years... slowing getting better... but still persistent. Very problematic with family, boyfriends and in school. I just had a hard time hearing what they were telling me or teaching me. I want to say this was a big push as to why I'm 4w5. 5 wing because I desired getting over these issues. I was teaching myself to understand words more thoroughly, to read more deeply, as opposed to having a disconnect with words. For a very long time I felt really insecure and saw myself as dumb... but now I realize that isn't the case. I feel I'm very intelligent, just with a sort of disconnect with verbal or auditory words and sounds. I do feel that it put me behind in reading comprehension, but that's definitely no longer an issue. But verbal words definitely didn't carry the same impact as reading, but it is slowly getting better with time. Same with speaking, I've become a much better speaker in recent years as well. But I would chuck this all off to self educating and working around my own pitfalls.

 

[CrystalViolet]

Two of my kids had this. One 'grew' out of it. He just had maturation issues with it. My other child had an unusual form of it where her left ear was dominant. Her raw data on her processing indicated she probably used the right side of her brain in language. Even now when you talk to her, there is a slight 'lag' time and she is highly dependent on being close by or picking up non-verbal cues. It is a lot better than it used to be but her scores and processing will never be normal.

Did you have trouble learning to read? Not all people with auditory processing do but some can. It's the sound/symbol and symbol/sound that can really get them.

What is your dominant hand?

I almost forgot, there is a program called Fast Forward that was really pushed to helping kids with this disorder. I never used it for mine (it was costly) but I did use a program called Earobics that worked well for them. An audiologist can test you but you might have to see one at a children's hospital.

I took to reading like a duck on water. Comprehension was and is very good. It's the writing part that was less easy....I had trouble doing things sequentially (still do, if I'm really honest), and really I can't do math problems that are read out to me. Better if I see the written version....I've compensated a great deal though (teachers thought I may have been gifted as well, hard to reconcile gifted with learning difficulties though, eh, and seeing as I was doing okay I was left to my own devices.)
I'm right handed....but ambidexterousness runs in the fam, and I did have issues with figuring out my handness. LOL....it was kinda a running joke, I'm very Intuitive/left brained, and kinda unco at the best of times. I know this post may hint at more sensory perception disorders, and it's a possibility seeing as I'm HSP as well. I figure I function pretty okay as an adult. It's sort of pointless trying to fix things now, I just know what to look out for when I have kids.

 

[Such Irony]

Anyone else have experience with this? I've never been formally diagnosed, but I do have several of the symptoms: people will talk to me and though I try to listen, it just doesn't register, I can't hear people in very noisy environments, not to mention that often, I'll get caught trying to explain some idea in my head, but I can't seem to "translate" it into English. I'm also awful at anything that requires sequential thinking and organization. Any familiarity?

I sort of relate. I have a poor auditory short term memory. I often have to ask to have things repeated to me. I get distracted easily by outside noise. When in conversation with someone I'll stop talking if I notice some outside noise that's distracting me. I have to figure out what it is and where its coming from. I sometimes have difficulty putting thoughts and ideas into words. I'm usually good at sequential thinking and organization but have been known to absent-mindedly skip steps.

yes, yes and YES.

i've never heard of this before. before i found out i was an ISFP and had inferior Te, i just thought maybe i had some sort of learning disorder. my dad always got angry at me for having what he called "selective listening." when i watch movies, i use subtitles a lot to help me follow the story better. words make more sense and hit on a more intellectual or a deeper level, when i can see them versus hear them.

I find subtitles helpful too when watching movies. This is especially true when the people are talking fast or have accents.

i'm also really really slow at catching on to lyrics in music. :[ i usually have to look them up to learn them.

I often times have trouble deciphering what the lyrics are in music. What they're saying sounds like one thing, which I realize doesn't make sense at all from a lyric standpoint. So, yes, I have had to resort to looking them up sometimes. But most of the time, I listen for the sound and not so much the lyrics anyway.

I think I have it...I can't understand anyone on the phone, and I hear things differently than other people...Like, I'll hear the same thing, but I'll put the syllables together in my head differently.

If you say, 'I want to go to McDonald's later', I might hear 'Iwa nto gotomc donads ayta'. (Maybe not that extreme or that often, but I get them confused enough that people think I'm deaf or something) I have no hearing problems with tests, it just processes differently in my head.

Ha! I've been known to do this. I'll often hear one thing but the person meant something else. I'm also bad with understanding people with strong accents. It can be embarrasing sometimes. I work with alot of customers who have English as a second language and sometimes it's difficult for me to decipher what they're saying. I'm not trying to be rude but sometimes the only way I feel like I can understand them is if I ask them to speak louder, lean in close to them, or even have them write it down on paper.

 

[CuriousFeeling]

I don't think I have auditory processing disorder, but I know that I can have difficulty focusing on what someone else is saying when there's a lot of chatter/noise in the background. I end up asking them to repeat themselves. When I was younger, I would end up replacing unfamiliar words with words I thought someone else was saying, but I doubt this is linked to a disorder... probably lack of vocabulary.

 

[Sunny Ghost]

I sort of relate. I have a poor auditory short term memory. I often have to ask to have things repeated to me. I get distracted easily by outside noise. When in conversation with someone I'll stop talking if I notice some outside noise that's distracting me. I have to figure out what it is and where its coming from. I sometimes have difficulty putting thoughts and ideas into words. I'm usually good at sequential thinking and organization but have been known to absent-mindedly skip steps.




I find subtitles helpful too when watching movies. This is especially true when the people are talking fast or have accents.



I often times have trouble deciphering what the lyrics are in music. What they're saying sounds like one thing, which I realize doesn't make sense at all from a lyric standpoint. So, yes, I have had to resort to looking them up sometimes. But most of the time, I listen for the sound and not so much the lyrics anyway.



Ha! I've been known to do this. I'll often hear one thing but the person meant something else. I'm also bad with understanding people with strong accents. It can be embarrasing sometimes. I work with alot of customers who have English as a second language and sometimes it's difficult for me to decipher what they're saying. I'm not trying to be rude but sometimes the only way I feel like I can understand them is if I ask them to speak louder, lean in close to them, or even have them write it down on paper.

I used to get picked on for saying, "What?" a lot. Apparently, it was excessive and annoying. But the reason I did was because either it takes a minute for the words being spoken to process, or because I knew I had to completely misheard what the person was saying... mistaking people to say really ridiculous things, like, "It makes me quack" as opposed to, "It makes me laugh." ...Or something along those lines. I eventually got fed up with being made fun of for this that I now just nod my head regardless of whether or not I understand or heard what a person has said to me. Gets me in trouble, too, though, when you're expected to have a response and simply nod and laugh instead.

I'd agree, that I have short term memory with words being spoken as well. In school, I became a nut with note taking to help. Write now, process later.

I have a bad habit of making up my own lyrics a lot, too. It's funny when you get a song stuck in your head but the lyrics aren't quite with you... just the sounds and beats. But yeah, I definitely listen to music more for overall sound, as opposed to actual lyrical content, simply because I can't ever decipher what is being sung UNLESS I look them up if I'm curious.

I wonder if I should look into this APD more...

but how/why do these occur in the first place?

For children, one of the first sources of learning a language is via listening and repeating or mimicking. I could see why this would slow down a child's reading comprehension... Before you learn to read the word "Cat," you've already established what it is and how to say it. But if you can't figure out first how to say it and what it is... it's harder to grasp it in reading. Make sense? I may be oversimplifying. But anywho... why do some children have difficulty in the auditory processing department?

 

[Retmeishka]

This is a health-and-nutrition related comment.

I definitely have always had some auditory problems.

When I was little, my parents put me on the Feingold Diet for hyperactivity. It's a diet where you avoid eating particular chemicals that trigger reactions. One of the reactions is ringing in the ears. I still get ringing in my ears if I eat a lot of the high salicylate fruits that the Feingold Diet people talk about. Aspirin will also cause this reaction.

I got my high-frequency hearing tested. They found out that I was able to hear frequencies that were too high, but I wasn't able to hear the frequencies in the area of verbal speech as well as I needed to.

I love using the subtitles on movies too. I can't follow movies with a lot of dialogue and background noise. I can't remember any of the characters' names, either, so if a crucial plot line depends on remembering who they're talking about, I'm totally lost.

Short-term memory for verbal instructions - terrible. I have to ask people to repeat things and I have to write them down.

I like to talk to people alone in a quiet place where I can really focus on what they're saying.

I hesitate to mention this, because I have to give a warning disclaimer. There was a dentist named Weston A. Price who researched primitive tribes to find out why they were physically healthier than modern people living in towns. He noticed deformities of the skull, face, jaw, ear canals, and many other parts of the body, and these deformities affect the brain as well. These deformities are caused by a combination of poor nutrition and exposure to certain chemicals, and they begin in the womb. Many of the people who have auditory problems may have slightly deformed ear canals.

The 'disclaimer' that I have to give is, if you get interested in the Weston Price diet, if you read the web pages and other books about it, and if you try eating some of the things that they talk about eating, you can get EXTREMELY SICK RIGHT AWAY. They talk about eating things like animal organs and bone marrow. I tried eating bone marrow. Within a couple of minutes I was stifling the vomit reflex, and I'm vomit-phobic and I will do anything to avoid vomiting, so I spent the entire evening trying not to vomit, and feeling like I was going to pass out, and I felt so sick I thought I might have to go to the emergency room, just from eating a tiny, tiny, tiny little bit of bone marrow. I was glad I ate only a tiny test piece.

I still like to save the baby and throw out the bathwater, with the Weston Price Diet, because the 'baby,' the most important idea, is that these facial deformities, jaw deformities, ear canal deformities, etc. are caused by something we have control over. They're not caused by your DNA. They're a preventable deformity that shouldn't happen. I LOVE the Weston Price Diet's main idea, that the deformities are preventable, but I hate it that they haven't worked out the details of things that will make you sick and how to eat the diet safely. So like I said I'm afraid to even mention that diet without giving a big disclaimer about how severely sick some of those things can make you.

Anyway, ear canal deformities are part of what causes these auditory problems.

 

[Sunny Ghost]

I'm a big believer in, you are what you eat, and that diet has a huge impact on health... not just in weight and cholesterol, but overall mental health, asthma, headaches, organ function, etc. etc.

I'm kind of interested in this frequency thing, too.

 

[Retmeishka]

yeah, and I'm not sure if you can get the high-frequency audio test everywhere, or if it's a special thing that only some people can do. The reason I say that is because this guy wasn't an ordinary doctor. He was actually a sort of alternative medicine guy and he had lots of weird equipment in his office. I never had a high frequency test done on my hearing at any other doctors' offices, and nobody who ever tested my hearing in the past ever told me anything about my not hearing the speech frequencies properly.