Auditory Processing Assessments
Auditory processing describes how the brain recognises and interprets the sounds around you. A (central) auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is the problem with the way the sounds heard by the ear are being understood by the brain. People with auditory processing disorder typically have normal hearing, but present with difficulty hearing in background noise, exhibit poor listening skills, misunderstand spoken messages, struggle to follow oral instructions and pay attention to name a few.
In children, auditory processing difficulties can affect their ability to read, write and spell, as well as pose learning difficulties. CAPD can be confused with or co-exist with other conditions, such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, autism spectrum disorder, language impairment and learning difficulties.
In conducting a comprehensive auditory processing assessment, we cover the following during the appointment:
The audiologist will ask specific questions regarding your child’s learning skills and other hearing related concerns. Please provide any reports obtained from other professionals, such as the speech pathologist, educational psychologist or paediatrician. The school teacher’s input is also sought via a questionnaire which we will provide to you.
A hearing test is required to exclude any hearing loss or possible middle ear pathology.
This assesses your child’s short term auditory memory for numbers (unrelated materials) and sentences (meaningful material). Auditory short-term memory ability impacts on one’s ability to retain information during instructions and explanations.
- Binaural integration
- Binaural separation
- Binaural interaction
- Auditory closure
- Temporal patterning
- Temporal processing
Depending on the auditory processing assessment results, the audiologist may suggest electrophysiological testing if required. These tests measure the brain’s response to sounds. Appropriate referrals to other professionals will also be discussed as required.
Following the assessment, the audiologist will provide you with a brief summary of the results. A detailed report will follow within one week of the appointment. A follow-up consultation can be arranged to further discuss and organize remediation programs.
If you and/or your child experience difficulties such as, listening in the presence of noise, following instructions, focusing, speech and language development, reading and writing or have learning difficulties; it is advisable to contact us and arrange an Auditory Processing Assessment. Please allow 1.5-2hrs for the assessment.
Are you an educator concerned about your students’ performance? Hearing Professionals can also provide bulk CAPD screenings for schools. Please contact us for more information.
Test your Listening Skills
We understand it is not always practical especially with younger children to sit through long comprehensive tests.
Hearing Professionals offers a validated auditory processing screening test that can be completed in the comfort of your own home. This online auditory processing test (administered via an app on your iPad) is designed to assess auditory processing abilities in children from 5 years of age. Following completion of the test, you will receive a telehealth appointment with our audiologist to discuss your results and any recommendations.
Please contact us for further information or alternatively Click here to order your this listening skills test.
