Auditory Processing Disorder in Children (cont.)
What current research is being conducted?
In recent years, scientists have developed new ways to study the human brain through imaging. Imaging is a powerful tool that allows the monitoring of brain activity without any surgery. Imaging studies are already giving scientists new insights into auditory processing. Some of these studies are directed at understanding auditory processing disorders. One of the values of imaging is that it provides an objective, measurable view of a process. Many of the symptoms described as related to APD are described differently by different people.
Imaging will help identify the source of these symptoms. Other scientists are studying the central auditory nervous system. Cognitive neuroscientists are helping to describe how the processes that mediate sound recognition and comprehension work in both normal and disordered systems.
Research into the rehabilitation of child language disorders continues. It is important to know that much research is still needed to understand auditory processing problems, related disorders, and the best interventions for each child or adult. All the strategies undertaken will need to be suited to the needs of the individual child, and their effectiveness will need to be continuously evaluated. The standard for determining if a treatment is effective is that a patient can reasonably expect to benefit from it.
What treatments are available for auditory processing difficulty?
Much research is still needed to understand APD problems, related disorders, and the best intervention for each child or adult. Several strategies are available to help children with auditory processing difficulties. Some of these are commercially available, but have not been fully studied. Any strategy selected should be used under the guidance of a team of professionals, and the effectiveness of the strategy needs to be evaluated. Researchers are currently studying a variety of approaches to treatment. Several strategies you may hear about include:
- Auditory trainers are
electronic devices that allow a person to focus attention on a speaker and
reduce the interference of background noise. They are often used in
classrooms, where the teacher wears a microphone to transmit sound and the
child wears a headset to receive the sound. Children who wear hearing aids can
use them in addition to the auditory trainer.
- Environmental modifications such as classroom acoustics, placement, and seating may
help. An audiologist may suggest ways to improve the listening environment,
and he or she will be able to monitor any changes in hearing status.
- Exercises to improve language-building skills can increase the ability to
learn new words and increase a child's language base.
- Auditory memory enhancement, a procedure that reduces detailed information to a more basic
representation, may help. Also, informal auditory training techniques can be
used by teachers and therapists to address specific difficulties.
- Auditory integration training may be promoted by practitioners as a way to retrain the auditory system and decrease hearing distortion. However, current research has not proven the benefits of this treatment.
Source: National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov)
Last Editorial Review: 7/8/2005
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