AuditoryPAT, LLC
PROCESSING AND THERAPY
Help for Hearing Beyond the Simple Detection of Sound
There are many options for auditory processing therapy. The most important first step is to have a good auditory processing evaluation which incorporates a battery of tests to assess all the different areas of the auditory system. This needs to be completed by an Audiologist.
This test battery determines strengths and weaknesses in the auditory system which, in turn, guides the therapeutic process.
There is no one tool that applies to every auditory processing deficit. Auditory processing is too complicated to have just one approach or solution that works for all. This is why starting an auditory training program on the Internet without an evaluation and guidance is not in the best interest of you or your child. You may work on an area that does not need to be worked on or a child may start working on an area that he or she is not ready for, which can cause frustration. The last thing we want is for the child to become averse to listening!
Auditory training is very different from training other sensory systems. With listening, a person "hears what he or she hears". Therefore, telling the listener that they have heard incorrectly does not help them at all. The listener must be taught and material must be presented in a way that the listener can discriminate the differences in auditory information. The training has to take place in the auditory system while minimizing the chance that the cognitive system is assisting in the listening process. Carefully chosen training materials and specific therapy approaches are critical for success.
While learning compensatory techniques is very important for the child or adult with an auditory processing disorder, remediation is the goal of our clinic. Our therapy process is aimed at improving the strength of the hearing system by increasing auditory processing speed, accuracy and capacity. This is completed with an individualized auditory training plan which may include:
-
Dichotic Listening
-
Binaural Separation
-
Sound Discriminaton
-
Auditory Analysis
-
Phonemic Synthesis
-
Auditory Memory
See the "Educate Youself" page for more information.