Auditory Processing Disorder
Auditory Processing Disorder Test in Eagle River and Anchorage, AK
A common issue that individuals have when they are experiencing hearing loss is struggling to understand speech in the presence of background noise. However, when hearing tests show normal hearing then Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) could be the cause.
Though APD can affect people of all ages, it is most common in school-aged children, and according to the Hearing Health Foundation, about 5% of the U.S. population of school-aged children (2.5 million) experience APD, with some researchers estimating the true impact could be up to 12% of the population.
With early detection and intervention by an auditory processing disorder specialist, children are assured of establishing a strong foundation (phonemic detection abilities, discrimination, identification, and comprehension) on which to build toward higher levels of education and find success in school and the workforce.
APD is often missed because most hearing assessments show normal or near normal hearing, which is why Alaska Hearing and Tinnitus Center provides testing and treatment for auditory processing disorder to both children and adults.
Schedule an APD Treatment
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Eagle River

Defining Auditory Processing Disorder
Sometimes referred to as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), APD is related to how the brain processes speech. In essence, the ears and the auditory system function properly but they and the brain do not fully coordinate in order to derive meaning from speech.
APD typically becomes an issue when there is a lot of background noise, multiple conversations at the same time, or the individual is not facing the speaker.
Those experiencing APD struggle to pick up on the subtle differences between words like cat, bat and that, or seventy and seventeen. Additionally, words in a sentence can become scrambled so that “How are the chair and couch alike?” could be interpreted as “How the cow and hair are like?”
- Auditory discrimination: noticing, comparing, and distinguishing between separate sounds
- Auditory figure-ground discrimination: focusing on the important sounds in a noisy setting
- Auditory memory: recalling what they heard (short or long term)
- Auditory sequencing: understanding and recalling the order of sounds and words
Because APD leads most to assume that the person is experiencing hearing loss, when hearing tests are normal, many fail to identify the cause.
Common Questions About Auditory Processing Disorder We Hear
#1 – Who is affected by APD?
Auditory processing disorder is typically associated with development issues, so it is most prominent in school-aged children. Auditory processing disorder can be misdiagnosed as ADHD or vice versa, often occurs along with dyslexia, and is a common secondary diagnosis in individuals with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism.
APD can be experienced by those with hearing loss and those experiencing cognitive decline and is estimated to affect about 15% of military veterans due to blast exposure and neurological disorders from brain injuries (i.e., stroke, traumatic brain injury, tumors, epilepsy).
#2 – What are the symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder?
Symptoms are similar to those associated with hearing loss, such as difficulty understanding conversations in background noise or often asking people to repeat themselves, but there are additional signs that a person could be experiencing ADP, like:
- Being easily distracted or confused
- Struggling to follow multi-step verbal directions
- Taking longer than normal to respond to verbal questions
- Difficulty understanding sarcasm or jokes
- Learning deficiencies (reading delays, dyslexia, difficulty spelling, lower than normal writing skills, difficulty sequencing information)
#3 – How is Auditory Processing Disorder diagnosed?
A comprehensive hearing assessment is the first step in diagnosing APD, which is often followed by a Hearing Handicap Inventory to help understand in what ways a person is struggling and which environments. Parents provide a great deal of input when attempting to diagnose APD in younger children, as do teachers or other adults.
Additional tests that are included in your hearing assessment may also include:
- Auditory Figure-Ground Testing (speech understanding with background noise)
- Auditory Closure Testing (the capacity to “fill in the gaps” of speech)
- Dichotic Listening Testing (ability to understand meaningful speech that happens simultaneously)
- Temporal Processing Testing (capacity to distinguish between similar speech sounds like “mat” and “pat”)
- Binaural Interaction Testing (ability to identify the direction of sounds and localizing them in a room)
These tests can be conducted on children as young as three but are most often used with children seven-years-old or older. Innovative electrophysiology tests involving noninvasive electrodes to check the body’s response to speech also provide auditory processing disorder specialists with additional information about the central auditory processing system.
What to Expect During Auditory Processing Tests
#1 – Understanding Your Case History
Your case history includes things like age, auditory ability, genetics, and speech concerns, as well as a range of other factors that may contribute toward its development.
#2 – Comprehensive Hearing Assessment
#3 – An Evaluation of the Central Auditory System
Treatment Options For Auditory Processing Disorder In Anchorage & Eagle River, AK
Treatment for auditory processing disorder typically involves several therapeutic approaches to help the patient to differentiate between sounds and manage their language processing systems.
Auditory training similar to what is used with severe to profound hearing loss, those who are going through a cochlear implant evaluation and treatment, is particularly useful in treating auditory processing disorder, and a hearing device might also help address some specific concerns.
In addition to auditory training, various forms of language therapy may include:
- Boosting Phonological Awareness Skills
- The Use of Inference in Speech
- Vocabulary Enhancement
- Comprehension Improvement Strategies
- Social Communication Skills
Both types of therapy provide individuals with APD the compensatory strategies and building blocks to be able to overcome the condition in order to improve school and workplace communication.
Schedule An Assessment
Because APD has similar symptoms to hearing loss, the starting point for addressing your hearing challenges or concerns related to APD is to schedule a comprehensive hearing assessment with a doctor of audiology at Alaska Hearing and Tinnitus Center.
Simply submit the adjacent form so that a member of our team can assist you with scheduling an assessment for you or your child and begin treating APD today.
Patient Stories
"I enjoy so many more activities than before"
“I realized there may be a hearing challenge when I started asking for the hearing impaired headphones at the movie theater. I told myself it was to drown out the other people around me, but it was because I couldn’t hear clearly enough to make out the dialogue."
Becki G
“I’m very satisfied with the care and service Alaska Hearing provide”
“My hearing loss came in two stages. I lost the hearing in one ear due to the mumps at age 12. So I have had single-sided deafness since then. As I got older, I began to lose the hearing in my “good” ear. I have lost some of the higher frequencies. It became difficult to hear certain people speaking and I could see everyone else could hear them fine."
Larry S
"The staff at Alaska Hearing were very friendly and concerned that I understood everything they explained"
“I first thought that I may have a hearing loss when I had to have people repeat what they were saying to me. I didn’t really have any concerns prior to my appointment, as my father wore hearing aids, but I wondered what people would think about me wearing hearing aids."
Sue B
"Doctor McMahan was so kind and made us all feel very comfortable, safe, and cared for"
“My son is autistic and I was worried about how he would respond to being tested. I was very pleased with our first appointment. Doctor McMahan was so kind and patient. She got on our son’s level, explained everything calmly to him, and made us all feel very comfortable, safe, and cared for."
Cal K
“With my hearing aids, I can hear my grandkids, and my wife is a very happy woman”
“I pretty much have had ringing in my ears my whole life. I have always struggled and normally had to be looking at a person to read their lips if I was going to understand a conversation. In large groups, it was useless to try and carry on a conversation. Before my appointment, the cost of hearing aids was a real fear for me."
Joseph L
“My quality of life has drastically improved since purchasing my hearing devices”
“I was 14 or 15 years old and a teacher noticed that I was falling behind in the class discussion. She requested a hearing test and I was informed that I have a significant loss. This was devastating news for a person to receive. Before my appointment at Alaska Hearing, I was afraid I was not going to be able to get the help I needed and that cost would be more than I could afford."
Ryan H
“Now that I can hear, I am not embarrassed to get into a conversation, nor an argument, nor a discussion”
“[My hearing loss] was not immediate, but as time went on, I could tell I wasn’t hearing enough. I became less outgoing. I was in a shell. Less a part of the group. I had originally gone to a discount seller and that’s what I got, a discount set of hearing aids. At my first appointment, I was very impressed and assured they would be doing a good job."
Ronald
“I have much less ringing and I’m able to concentrate more”
“I became concerned about my hearing due to ringing in the ears. I found a comfortable setting and exceptional staff at Alaska Hearing. Now, I have much less ringing and I’m able to concentrate more. It’s a great place to go.”
James
“With my hearing aids, I can hear my family, I can hear better at work, and I feel overall less stressed!”
“I was ashamed I needed help. I am young compared to everyone else I know who wears hearing aids. Before my appointment at Alaska Hearing, I thought I would be pressured into hearing aids. I thought they would be large and noticeable."
CJW
“A hearing test is the start of reconnecting with your world”
“I suspected I might have a hearing loss when I could hear the coffee pot beep in my right ear but not my left ear. Before coming to Alaska Hearing, my biggest concern was price point value. Yes, hearing aids are as expensive as a mid-range laptop, but the benefits are worth it."
Steve M