ARA - Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology

Auditory Processing Disorders (APD)

Auditory processing is what the brain does with what the ear hears. An auditory processing disorder is the inability or decreased ability to attend to, discriminate among or between, recognize, or understand auditory information. Someone with APD and normal hearing often experiences comprehension difficulties, especially in noisy environments and/or rooms with poor acoustics. A person with hearing loss and APD will experience even more difficulty. Currently, the cause of APD is unknown. APD may occur in both children and adults, and often occurs as part of the normal aging process. For more information, visit The National Coalition on Auditory Processing Disorders at www.ncapd.org