Contentious issues related to auditory processing disorder

Abstract

A number of children undergo audiometric evaluation due to suspected hearing difficulties. Yet for some, their hearing sensitivity is found to be normal (Iliadou et al., 2017; Sharma, Purdy, & Kelly, 2009). Often, these children are described by parents and teachers as having difficulties to follow several instructions or attend to a conversation, and getting distracted when background noise is present (Iliadou et al., 2017; Witton, 2010). There are also reports of these children either misunderstanding or taking longer to understand simple verbal directions, and demonstrating selective hearing (Johnson, Benson, & Seaton, 1997). These weaknesses often cause educational, vocational and social challenges (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), 2005; British Society of Audiology (BSA, 2007). Children exhibiting these problems could be diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) (American Academy of Audiology (AAA), 2010; ASHA, 2005; BSA, 2007; Iliadou et al., 2017).