We help children who can hear but struggle to make sense of what they hear. When the brain has difficulty processing sound, everything — from school to friendships — becomes harder.
Auditory processing is what the brain does with the sounds the ear picks up. When there’s a breakdown in that process, it’s called an Auditory Processing Disorder (APD). Children with APD typically have normal hearing — the challenge isn’t with the ear itself, but with how the brain interprets and organizes sound.
Standard hearing tests won’t detect APD. Specialized testing is needed to understand how your child’s brain processes what they hear.
Frequently says “what?” or asks you to repeat things
Struggles to understand speech in noisy places — like a classroom or restaurant
Has trouble following multi-step directions
Confuses similar-sounding words (like “shoulder” and “soldier”)
Seems to “tune out” or daydream, especially during conversations or instructions
Has difficulty with reading, spelling, or sounding out words
Gets exhausted from sustained listening
Has been considered for an ADHD diagnosis — APD is frequently misidentified as ADHD
You might notice your child:
We offer multiple levels of assessment to meet your family’s needs:
Screening: A targeted screening paired with an intake questionnaire to explore multiple areas and determine which formal assessments make sense. This is both cost-effective and time-efficient.
Comprehensive evaluation: A thorough formal assessment that produces a detailed report with clear recommendations and a plan for intervention.
Our screening tools help differentiate between APD, attention difficulties (ADD/ADHD), specific learning disorders like dyslexia, and language processing challenges. Assessments are available for children as young as age 3.
Every child’s assessment is different, but you can generally expect:
Once we understand your child’s processing profile, we create a personalized plan that may include:
Clinical therapy: One-on-one sessions targeting specific auditory skills — including phonemic awareness, listening in noise, sound discrimination, pitch pattern recognition, and auditory memory training.
Strategies for home and school: Practical adjustments like reducing background noise, using visual supports, pre-teaching new vocabulary, building in listening breaks, and creating better acoustic environments.
Technology supports: When appropriate, we may recommend FM systems, assistive listening devices, or other tools to support your child’s listening in challenging environments.
When a child struggles to process what they hear, it affects everything — their ability to learn, to connect with others, and to feel confident. But when a child begins to understand what they hear clearly, everything changes. School gets easier. Friendships deepen. Frustration fades.
We’re here to help your child get there.
Children with APD typically pass standard hearing tests. Their ears pick up sound normally, but their brain has difficulty interpreting and organizing what they hear — especially in noisy environments or when instructions are complex.
We can begin screening children as young as age 3. Comprehensive formal testing is typically most reliable from age 7 onward, though earlier screening helps identify concerns and start supportive strategies sooner.
No, but they are frequently confused. Children with APD may appear inattentive because they struggle to process what they hear — not because they can’t focus. Our assessments are designed to help distinguish between the two.
A screening typically takes about 60 to 90 minutes. A comprehensive evaluation may require two to three hours, sometimes spread across two appointments to keep your child comfortable.
It depends on the results. Some children benefit from direct therapy, while others do well with classroom accommodations and home strategies. We’ll discuss all the options with you and help you decide what’s right for your child.
Many extended health benefit plans cover audiology and speech-language pathology services. We recommend checking with your insurance provider. We can provide receipts with the appropriate professional designations for reimbursement.
