A person with a central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), also known a central auditory dysfunction, has difficulty in processing instructions received from verbal communication, despite having normal peripheral hearing sensitivity. A particular difficulty is trying to understand speech in a noisy environment. Factors which hinder understanding in a person with a CAPD include
- the acoustic environment – is it too big causing the reverberation to be long and preventing clarity? is the environment too noisy
- and the vocabulary used – homophones cause the most difficulty in understanding.
What behavioral traits might indicate that a child may have a CAPD?
If a child presents difficulties in speech, language, and / or learning, appear to be hearing impaired, be easily distractible and difficulties with following instructions, then it may be possible they have a CAPD.
What can we do as educators to help someone with a CAPD?
Obtaining a statement for a pupil is difficult and time consuming, so if you believe someone to have a CAPD, then a discussion with the SENCO is of course of the utmost importance, but what can we do to help? Here are some tips for helping a pupil with a CAPD:
- Position the pupil near to you
- Prior to giving instructions, carefully attract their attention
- Ask them to repeat verbal instructions back
- Use short simple sentences for instructions
- Use visual aids to help with remembering tasks
- Check and write homework in their journal to ensure it’s there and is accurate
Finding out more
Naturally this is a brief introduction to CAPD, but for academic research and study, here are some useful references:
Arnst, D., & Katz, J. (1982). Central Auditory Assessment: The SSW Test. San Diego: College Hill Press.
Berlin, C., & Cullen, J. K. J. (1977). Acoustic Problems in Dichotic Tasks. In S. Segalowitz & F. Gruber (Eds.), Language Development and Neurological Theory (pp. 75-88). New York: Academic Press.
Brown, J. W., & Perecman, E. (1985). Neurological Basis of Language Processing. In R. Chapey (Ed.), Language Intervention Strategies in Adult Aphasia (pp. 12-26). Baltimore: Williams and Wilkins.
Bryden, M. P. (1988). An Overview of the Dichotic Listening Procedure and Its Relation to Cerebral Organization. In K. Hugdahl (Ed.), Handbook of Dichotic Listening Theory, Methods, and Research . New York: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cohen, R.L. (1980). Audiotory skills and the communication process. Seminars in Speech, Language, and Hearing. 1(2),107-115.
Cullen, J. K., Thompson, C. L., Hughes, L. F., Berlin, C. I., & Samson, D. S. (1974). The effects of acoustic parameters on performance in dichotic speech perception tasks. Brain and Language, 1307-1322.
Fisher, Lee I (1985). Learning Disabilities and Auditory Processing. In R.J. VanHattum (Ed.). Administration of Speech-Language Services in tthe Schools (pp231-292). College Hill Press.
Fodor, J. (1992). Can there be a Science of the Mind. Times Literary Supplement, July 3(4657), 5-8.
Hugdahl, K. (Ed.). (1988). Handbook of Dichotic Listening: Theory, Methods and Research. Chilchester: John Wiley & Sons.
Katz, J., & Wilde, L. (1994). Auditory Processing Disorders. In J. Katz (Ed.), Handbook of Clinical Audiology (Fourth ed., pp. 490). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
Keith, R., Tawfik, S., & Katbamna, B. (1985). Performance of adults on directed listening tasks using a dichotic CV test. Ear and Hearing, 6(5), 270-273.
Kertesz, A. (1991). Language Cortex. Aphasiology, 5(5), 207-234.
Musiek, F. (1986). Neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and central auditory assessment: Part III: Corpus callosum and efferent pathways. Ear and Hearing, 7, 349-358.
Speaks, C., Gray, T., Miller, J., & Rubens, A. (1975). Central auditory deficits and temporal lobe lesions. JSHD, 40, 192-205.
Springer, S., & Deutsch, G. (1981). Left Brain, Right Brain: Revised Edition. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.
Willeford, J. (1977). Assessing central auditory behavior in children: a test battery approach. In R. W. Keith (Ed.), Central auditory dysfunction . New York, New York: Grune and Stratton.
Willeford, J., & Burleigh, J. (1985a). Handbook of Central Auditory Processing Disorders in Children. New York, New York: Grune and Stratton.
Yost, W. A., & Waston, C. S. (1987). Auditory Processing of Complex Sounds. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Zemlin, W. R. (1988). Speech and Hearing Science: Anatomy and Physiology. (3rd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.