27/11/2025
Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a condition that makes it harder to process sounds and language. You hear words, but it might take your brain a bit longer to understand them. You may also have trouble focusing in environments with lots of background noise. With APD, you have trouble understanding speech even though you don’t have hearing loss. You may also be more of a visual learner.
APD is usually discovered in childhood. But it can be found in adults, too. Although there’s no cure for APD, audiologists have treatments that can help manage your symptoms.
Another name for APD is central processing disorder.
People with APD often experience it in unique ways. There are several different types of auditory processing disorders. A few of them include:
Decoding. You hear sounds but your brain can’t process them as words.
Integration. It’s hard to multitask when you’re listening. Taking notes in school is one example.
Organizational. You have trouble recalling information in a specific order.
Prosodic. You have difficulty interpreting tone and inflection. For instance, you might not notice that the tone of a person’s voice scoops up at the end of a question.
You may only have one type of APD. Or you might have a combination of two or more. (CCleveland Clinic❤️)
