CAPD
CAPD Definition
Central Auditory Processing Disorders - CAPD
are a deficit in information processing of audible
stimuli with no deficits attributed to hearing
or intelligence impairment. To put it simply,
it is the inability to attend to, discriminate,
recognize or comprehend what is heard, even though
hearing and intelligence are normal. Central auditory
processing disorders are more pronounced when
listening to distorted speech, or in poor acoustic
environments such as listening in the presence
of competing background noise.
CAPD Identification
Behaviors of children who may have central auditory
processing disorders might include any of the
following: (1) says 'Huh' or 'What' often, (2)
gives inconsistent responses to auditory stimuli,
(3) often misunderstands what is said, (4) is
easily distracted, (5) has reading, spelling and
other academic problems, (6) has poor attention,
(7) has difficulty following oral instructions,
(8) has difficulty listening in the presence of
background noise, (9) has poor receptive and expressive
language, (10) gives slow or delayed responses
to verbal stimuli and (11) exhibits behavior problems.
CAPD Diagnostic Procedures
The first step in evaluating a child for central
auditory processing disorders is to rule out peripheral
hearing problems using pure tone thresholds, speech
audiometry and middle-ear testing. Furthermore,
behavioral tests which degrade the speech signal
using various means, help to identify problems
in the central auditory pathway by reducing the
normal level of redundancy present in that signal.
Various methods have been used to degrade the
signal using low-pass filtering, altering temporal
aspects through interruption of compression, introducing
a competing signal in the same or opposite ear
and through binaural stimulation requiring integration
of stimuli from both ears. It is generally accepted
that no one test is sufficiently sensitive to
evaluate all central auditory processing disorders
problems. Therefore, a battery of tests is usually
the method of choice.
CAPD Rehabilitation Options
Once a child has been identified with CAPD most
people would ask, "Where do we go from here?".
Call us at Innovative Therapies or contact us
through our contact page here on the website to
find your options.
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