What is Auditory Processing?

Auditory processing can be broadly described as “What we do with what we hear”.

Hearing and listening refer to the process by which we take in what is said. Once it is in, before we can understand what we hear or listen to, we need to:

It also encompasses a range of listening, attention and memory skills including:

Selective attention: Focusing attention on a particular task whilst ignoring other or others (for example, focusing on what the teacher is saying whilst effectively ignoring distractions such as other children talking or environmental noises from outside)
Divided attention: Focusing on two types of information presented at the same time (for example, multi-tasking in the classroom)
Short term auditory memory: The ability to retain and recall information without the need to process it or work through it.
Functional/Working memory: The ability to temporarily retain information in order to work through it.

Comprehension involves 3 primary processes: Hearing, Listening (Attention) and Processing.

Hearing is the first ring in the chain. It is necessary to hear well as it is a prerequisite for both listening and processing. If hearing is not adequate, it will affect one’s ability to listen to and process what is said.
It is not uncommon for children who have a history of chronic and fluctuating ear infections to have some difficulty with auditory processing skills down the track, as they have effectively ‘missed out’ on some the crucial auditory processing development whilst their ear infections have compromised their hearing.

Listening is the active process by which one selects and sustains attention to what is being said or heard. Listening is affected by such things as attention span, fatigue, motivation, and self-esteem.

Attention difficulties are often complexly coupled with processing difficulties. Essentially, we need to weigh up which is the primary difficulty and which is the secondary difficulty in order to generate appropriate therapy goals (if required) and classroom strategies. This is where parent and teacher feedback are very important as these are the people who know the child well and are best able to provide the necessary information in this decision-making process.

If there is a breakdown in either hearing or listening (attention), processing will be affected however a true auditory processing disorder refers to a primary difficulty with the processing of auditory information.

Auditory processing difficulties can have serious effects on one’s ability to learn in normal classroom settings

Auditory processing disorder affects around 3-5% of school-age children. Students may require more time for certain activities, and may have to concentrate extra hard in order to keep up, thus meaning they become tired and frustrated more easily. This can consequently have adverse effects on social, emotional and academic development if left untreated.

At Advanced Hearing, we are committed to providing the most up to date and comprehensive auditory processing assessments, auditory training therapy and effective classroom strategies.

Read here about our auditory processing assessments.

Contact us at (03) 9890 2005 or hearing@advancedhearing.com.au to learn more today.

HOW HEARING WORKS

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types of hearing loss

tinnitus

Central auditory processing

Communication Strategies

What is Auditory Processing?

Auditory processing can be broadly described as “What we do with what we hear”.

Auditory processing difficulties can have serious effects on one’s ability to learn in normal classroom settings

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