Understanding Auditory Processing Disorders in Children

Book excerpt: "The field of auditory processing disorders is filled with many publications which may be confusing to someone trying to learn about this topic. The typical approach to auditory processing taken by authors is either viewing such processes as involving only the auditory system, or not differentiating between auditory processes and other processes such as sensory processing, language understanding, or cognitive/thinking factors. Understanding Auditory Processing Disorders by Dr. Jay R. Lucker presents a comprehensive, integrated approach identifying how auditory processing involves many systems-not merely the auditory system-and describing how different types of auditory processes involve specific systems. Understanding this multisystem approach to auditory processing helps to identify what is going on with children who have problems processing what they hear when hearing loss is not the primary contributing factor. For parents of children who may have auditory processing problems, this book helps them to better understand what going on with their children and how to modify listening tasks for their children. For educators, this book helps them better understand how auditory processing disorders can affect a child educationally, as well as provides recommendations for accommodations that teachers and other professionals can use to make understanding what is spoken in class lessons, conversations, and verbal interactions with adults and children easier. This book clarifies what is needed for the appropriate evaluation of auditory processing to better understand what systems may be malfunctioning and affecting children's abilities to appropriately process and understand what they hear. For speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists who may provide treatment for children with auditory processing disorder problems, this book identifies some specific treatments that have evidence-based research associated with improving different factors that contribute to auditory processing disorders. For audiologists, this book provides a better understanding of how the testing of auditory processing can be more successful in identifying what appropriate accommodations and treatments are needed based on the specific type of auditory processing disorder the child has"--