What if you ADHD and APD at the same time?
As if ADHD alone weren't enough confusion, but we need to be aware of this possibility.
Have you ever heard about Auditory Processing Disorder?
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a hearing issue that makes it hard for you to understand what people are saying. What makes this condition unique is that the ability to hear sounds is mostly intact, but the ears and brain don't fully coordinate. The problem is not hearing but interpreting the sounds.
For those who already have ADHD, dealing with APD means a significant additional challenge, and it's not uncommon to have both simultaneously. Differentiating between these two conditions can be difficult, even for highly trained clinicians. People with ADHD might experience sensory processing challenges related or unrelated to APD, while those with APD could have ADHD or exhibit similar symptoms without necessarily an establishment of an ADHD diagnosis.
These people often carry many stories of embarrassment and frustration because they frequently misinterpret the meaning of words, miss some of the syntax of language, have difficulty finding the right words to say, and take additional time to understand jokes or sarcasm.
Processing the sounds that compose words, however, seems to be the most common issue. Understanding speeches on the telephone and radio is complex because the pattern of phonemes changes under conditions of interference or low-fidelity noise reproduction. The same mechanism works when understanding people with unfamiliar accents or a faster pace of speech, which definitely doesn't help those with APD.
It often manifests in childhood but can also develop in adults due to certain medical conditions, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, or multiple sclerosis. To complicate things, many APD symptoms are also similar to hearing loss, so an audiologist is essential in the process. Like ADHD, it is regarded as a lifelong condition. Treatment for APD involves skills training to reorganize and enhance the brain's sound processing, along with interventions and accommodations in educational settings, workplaces, and at home.
How is APD diagnosed?
In the beginning, many people may be involved in evaluating symptoms and signs of auditory processing disorder. For example, a psychologist may do tests to evaluate cognitive function, and a speech-language pathologist may evaluate verbal and written language skills. However, audiologists are the ones who perform the actual diagnosis. They may use different listening tests to diagnose auditory processing disorder.
To sum up, the symptoms and experiences of those with ADHD and APD may overlap and manifest similarly. Both often have problems with reading and spelling, develop coping strategies like lip-reading, have trouble processing sounds with background noise, and have been considered lazy and antisocial throughout their lives.
However, the medical approaches to both conditions are entirely different, which is a crucial reason why we must resist the temptation to self-diagnose and entrust this work to experienced practitioners. With the right treatment, both ADHD and APD can be life-changing, bringing enormous relief and a significant improvement in overall well-being.
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In summary, Auditory Processing Disorder symptoms and signs vary, but typically include:
Asking people to repeat what they’ve said.
Having difficulty understanding what other people are saying, especially in places with a lot of noise or echoing noise or when more than one person is speaking.
Having trouble distinguishing between words.
Having trouble understanding rapid speech.
Having difficulty reading, spelling, and writing below grade level.
Not responding when people talk (This happens because people with APD need time to sort out what they’ve heard.)
Taking longer to respond in conversations.
Having trouble following verbal directions.
Having trouble following long conversations.
Not being able to remember what people said.