Central Auditory Processing Disorders

Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is a condition in which the ears and the
brain do not work well together. People with CAPD can hear, but the brain has trouble
processing the sounds. They have trouble:
❖ Telling the difference among similar sounds in words.
❖ Making sense of what is said to them.
❖ Blocking out background noise.
❖ Knowing where a sound is coming from.

It's important to know that CAPD is not an intellectual disability. It also isn't autism
spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or simply "bad"
behaviour. With treatment, people with CAPD can learn to cope with it. They can lead
healthy, productive lives.

Reference: https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?
hwid=abq6062#:~:text=Central%20auditory%20processing%20disorder%20(CAPD)
%20is%20a%20condition%20in%20which,among%20similar%20sounds%20in%20words.

CENTAL AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDER CAUSES

Although there is limited concrete evidence, specific events may cause APD. Some of
these possible causes include:

Frequent Ear Infections – Children with a history of ear infections can develop APD, as
sounds come across as muffled. Over time, the brain misinterprets the sound, and auditory
processing can be affected.

Premature Birth – Premature babies are at higher risk for developing APD later.
Extreme Fever – If babies have a fever over 105°, they are at higher risk for auditory
processing issues.

Genetic History – Some parents of children with APD report having a similar condition
themselves.

Traumatic Brain Injury – A TBI can cause many lasting effects, including those related
to auditory processing.

Scientists still have a way to go in truly understanding auditory processing disorder, but
can learn much by analyzing the possible causes.

TYPES OF CENRAL AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDER

There are five basic auditory processing disorder types, and some people may experience
more than one type. These include hypersensitivity, decoding, integration, prosodic, and
organizational deficit.

Hypersensitivity – Hypersensitivity to sound is often diagnosed as misophonia or

hyperacusis. Misophonia is when people have adverse physical reactions to sounds, such as
becoming nauseated by the sound of chewing or slurping. Hyperacusis, on the other hand,
is characterized by a sensitivity to sounds. For some, this means that white noise can be
deafening, even causing physical pain.

Decoding – Decoding difficulties involve a lack of figuring out words that are spoken.
They hear the sounds, but their brains do not process them as words.

Integration – Integration applies to those who struggle to do multiple things while

listening. Such multi-tasking may be writing notes and listening, or having conversations
while typing an email.
Prosodic – Prosodic refers to people who have trouble with tone, inflection, and implied
meaning. A question and exclamation are processed identically in their brains. Their
speech is also often monotone.

Organizational – Finally, organizational, or output, is often characterized by not recalling

information in a specific order or having difficulty with noisy situations.

REFERENCE: https://www.vocovision.com/resources/parents/auditory-processing-
disorder/

Classification of Hearing Impairment/Degree of Hearing Loss

1. Conductive Hearing Loss - This type of hearing loss occurs in the outer or middle
ear where sound waves are not able to carry all the way through to the inner ear.
Sound may be blocked by earwax or a foreign object located in the ear canal; the
middle ear space may be impacted with fluid, infection or a bone abnormality; or the
eardrum may have been injured.In some people, conductive hearing loss may be
reversed through medical or surgical intervention. Conductive hearing loss is most
common in children who may have recurrent ear infections or who insert foreign
objects into their ear canal.