Auditory Processing Disorder Screen

Auditory Processing Disorder Screening : What to expect at a Private Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) Screen Appointment 

Auditory Processing Screen vs Auditory Processing Disorder Assessment (comprehensive) 

We often get enquiries in clinic on whether to book an auditory processing disorder screen first (APD screen) or a comprehensive auditory processing disorder assessment (APD assessment test).   The points below should help you decide on what to consider when deciding between an APD screen or a comprehensive assessment. 

Booking an auditory processing disorder (APD) screen is useful 

• As a means of performing preliminary research.

• If one wishes to find out if auditory processing is an area where further investigation might be required. 

• If you are still in that uncertain stage, wondering if there are other factors to consider or if auditory processing disorder is remotely related to your situation. An auditory processing disorder screen would be suitable.

If you are looking to not only diagnose, but also highlight the specific deficits (categories) in your auditory processing, then booking a comprehensive auditory processing disorder assessment is a means of finding out the specific areas of auditory processing and where specific therapy can be directed. 

Auditory Processing Disorder Screening at Sonant Hearing Clinic 

Auditory Processing Disorder Screening typically involves a comprehensive hearing assessment,  the consideration of questionnaires along with one’s medical history, parent reports, work/colleague reports and/or teacher/academic reports. 

Auditory Processing Screening Tests (APD) Tests we provide may include  

Buffalo Model Questionnaire – Revised (BMQ-R). 

The questionnaire is adapted for adults and children. It contains 48 questions dealing with auditory processing disorder (APD), including categories- Decoding, Noise, Tolerance fading memory, organisation, general and integration.  

6 therapies are included at the top of the questionnaire to inform about the results of the questionnaire and the chosen therapy (eventually). Certain therapies may influence one’s test performance and in turn, desensitise a test because of prior training. For example, if one has had training in phonics or speech therapy, this could influence their performance on the phonemic synthesis test. Knowledge of this prior would help us apply greater focus to performance on qualitative phonemic synthesis scores instead of quantitative (i.e. how hard they must work to get the answer right, instead of assessing for correct answers alone) 

The BMQ - R is useful not only before a comprehensive auditory processing disorder assessment but during therapy and after therapy to help inform about the effectiveness of therapy currently being utilised. 

It is recommended that the questionnaire is given by a neutral party.  As there can be an element of possible bias from the person delivering the questionnaire. For example, if given by a rightly concerned relative, the responses could be skewed in favour of bias towards an auditory processing disorder, so that the supposedly affected one might be referred for a test or receive preferential services. While another person may complete the questionnaire with a bias skewed against auditory processing disorder in line with their own personal ideologies. i.e., belief that the person can’t have APD, APD doesn’t exist, weak motivation, laziness being thought to be real issue and not APD etc. 

Acoustic Pioneer – Feather Squadron Screen  

This is an app game to screen for APD using animated games to target, Lateralization, Tonal Patterning, Tonal Speed, Speech in noise, Animal/speech/numbers and dichotic sounds. Colour/Word memory and Rapid speech. Results are compared to same-aged peers. It has been designed to be delivered by audiologists. The screening test is delivered using a specific set of calibrated headphones.  

Auditory Skills Assessment (ASA)  

Contrary to the popular practice of not testing children under 7 for APD. This is the first tool developed to assess children between (3yr 6m and 6yr 11m) for auditory skill deficits that may inhibit their language, learning and academic development. It samples a child’s ability across 3 domains: speech discrimination, phonological awareness and non-speech processing.  

It checks how well one can discriminate words in noise, repeat nonsense words accurately, blend phonemes & syllables accurately, recognize rhymes and discriminate between or perceive the order of non-verbal sounds. Depending on the child’s age, development and abilities it usually takes up to 15minutes to deliver. 

Results from auditory processing disorder screening can’t be used to diagnose auditory processing disorder, but can be used for preliminary investigations before going towards a comprehensive auditory processing disorder assessment. 

You can book your Auditory Processing Disorder Screen Here at Sonant Hearing Clinic.