Hearing loss and Auditory Processing Disorders differ in a variety of ways. A person experiencing hearing loss has difficulty hearing sounds while a person with APD has difficulty understanding and differentiating what is heard. Hearing loss occurs in the inner, middle, or outer ear and impacts the individual's ability to hear auditory stimuli. APD occurs in the brain along the auditory pathway and impacts the individual's ability to understand and comprehend auditory stimuli. People with APD have trouble understanding in noise no matter how well they may hear. Sometimes an individual could be experiencing both a hearing loss and an auditory processing disorder. Ultimately, the only reliable way to determine if you are experiencing a hearing loss and/or APD is to undergo several tests administered by an audiologist. Part of a thorough hearing evaluation includes tests that determine if an auditory processing disorder could be present.
If you feel like you may be experiencing an auditory processing disorder, please don't hesitate to call one of our offices and schedule a no-charge consult with one of our clinical audiologists.
No comments:
Post a Comment