Ok, first time posting so this will be LONG, sorry.
We started noticing that DS wasn’t “hearing” us around 2-1/2 (he’ll be 10 in October). We also noticed speech was delayed before that. Had a psychological workup done at age 3. Slightly delayed fine motor, hearing was fine, but grossly delayed speech were the findings. Son received 1/2 hour OT once a month (OT didn’t understand why he was there since she could find no delayed areas, but we decided to continue because she enjoyed working with him and vise versa) which lasted a year. He has been receiving speech therapy since then and has come a long way. Still has subject/verb agreement issues as well as irregular verb issues. He has no problems being understood by new people when he meets them, however he sometimes has difficulties finding the right words to use. He is constantly asking the meaning of words he does understand. Just today he asked what “levitation” meant.
Two of the speech therapists he has had in the past felt there were some ADP issues involved. The more I read on the subject, the more I agreed. We waited to get testing done since he was doing fine in class (solid B student) and the only problem he continually had was with reading comprehension. He reads on grade level and is right where he should be otherwise. He is a very visual learner and has problems with oral directions and multi-step instructions. I should add that my husband was recently diagnosed with ADD and has been taking Stratera (sp?) which he said helps him greatly. My husband still has issues with the way he had to struggle in school and the lack of understanding on his parents and teachers parts. Two of my nephews also have ADD/ADHD issues. His teacher (who I now know had several personal issues last year and who never had a student with special needs before) last year felt that he had some problems focusing due to the fact that he didn’t understand directions and would be turned around in his chair frequently. He wouldn’t be talking, but he would be watching what the other students were doing. This was a strategy that his 2nd grade teacher had him use when he wasn’t sure of what do to. I explained this to his teacher, but she still felt that there were attention issues. Since she wasn’t pushing to have him tested in school, we talked to our pediatrician who felt that with our family history and previous testing, it would be ok to try him on Adderall to see if it helped. We had the teacher fill out Connors forms. The doctor remarked that every question was checked in the very little column, meaning that he had no major problems in the classroom. We (Dr., hubby and I) decided to try him on meds to see if they helped. At the end of three months, the only difference we could tell is that he lost 10 lbs. and had trouble falling asleep at night. The teacher filled out the forms the exact same way as before even when he was taking the meds. The only difference she ever noted was that he did not seem to become as upset as quickly when frustrated. We (Dr., hubby and I) felt that ADD was not the issue and felt even stronger in our position that we were dealing with APD.
Two weeks ago I had son tested by an audiologist for APD. She used the SCAN test. She stated that he tested within the normal guidelines on two of the three parts, but that he “scored within two standard deviations below the mean for the competing words subtest”. She also indicated that he, “exhibited a right-ear advantage during the competing words subtest, which can indicate poor auditory maturation or reverse cerebral dominance for language or a neurologic disorder.” She recommended the he be tested with the ACPT (Auditory Continuous Performance Test) to rule out the possible contribution of ADD/ADHD. Now I’m totally confused since we have never noticed a problem with his attention span. I work in an Elementary school and I see the kids with ADD/ADHD and his symptoms do not seem to be the same as the children that I observe. I still stand by my initial thinking that it he has APD. The audiologist mentioned that he was looking all around the sound proof booth and playing with the headphone chord during the 35 minutes he was being tested. He’s 9! She is young and has a 2 year old and a 2 month old. I’ve noticed that alot of teachers/professionals who do not have experience with their own children don’t know what to expect as the “norm” at different developmental stages/ages. I thought he did exceptionally well during the test, so I don’t know how valid her observations are.
We go back in two weeks to get the second test done, but my question is wouldn’t kids with APD also exhibit some focusing issues due to the fact that they aren’t processing information normally? I don’t know where to go from here and I’d love suggestions, input or similar experiences that you have had. Thanks for letting me ramble.
Re: APD/ADD (Sorry, long)
In addition to what Patti, said, the SCAN is by no means a complete APD test battery. My child had about 6 different tests done and was in the booth about an hour and a half at age 6. Thirty-five minutes is a relatively short time to expect a 9 year old to attend. I think you should consider the audiologist’s suggestion to have the other test, but you may want to try an APD specialist for APD testing next time.
Janis
Re: APD/ADD (Sorry, long)
I too am surprised that an audiologist would use the SCAN. Are you sure your audiologist is specially trained in APD evaluation? Check out http://pages.cthome.net/cbristol/capd-rf1.html
With your son’s symptoms, I would definitely want a full-scale APD evaluation and not just a screening for APD.
Nancy
Re: APD/ADD (Sorry, long)
There is also a professional listing of APD specialists on the www.ncapd.org site.
Janis
one can use the scan
But there are other tests to use as well and the audiologist I work with uses the SCAN along with other batteries as well. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater on this one yet…I the think auditory vigilance test is a good strategy, also testing his phonemic synthesis, perhaps with the CTOPP and to rule out visual attention the TOVA can be done as well.. With his history I think there are some language issues which could be impacted by CAPD or ADD or both. It is hard to tell without seeing the kid myself and reviewing his speech and langauge assessments..
You may want to get an assistive listening device to help him with the APD and ADD in the classroom. It will also help him develop his auditory memory. :wink:
Re: APD/ADD (Sorry, long)
Patti, what does an FM system have to do with auditory memory? (other than the obvious benefit of hearing better)
Janis
Re: APD/ADD (Sorry, long)
[quote=”Janis”]There is also a professional listing of APD specialists on the www.ncapd.org site.
Janis[/quote]
Thanks Janis for the site. I check one one that you gave me and also the one Nancy mentioned and she is not listed on either of these; however, I found a person who I feel may do more indepth testing for APD than the current person I’m using.
Thanks for all the input. I’ll let you know what transpires.
Re: APD/ADD (Sorry, long)
Denise,
I just noticed that you are in Pennsylvania. Maxine Young is a very respected APD specialist and is both an SLP and audiologist.
Janis
the assistive listening device
improves the signal to noise ratio and improving the chance of developing efficient auditory memory. The same thing happens with hearing aids…without the hearing aids things sound like mush…with the aids it improves the quality of what you are hearing and thus develops auditory memory… My daughter learns auditorially because of the assistive listening device and her hearing aids..
Re: APD/ADD (Sorry, long)
Okay, I see…allows for optimal development of any other auditory skills since the noise issue is not there. I am not sure about FM for Anna because they have about 22 kids in class and all rooms are carpeted. She also did not score low in speech-in-noise at all. I think her auditory memory issues will be there regardless, unfortunately.
Janis
do you think some of her auditory memory issues are due to
the fact that English is technically her second language? My daughter had horrible auditory memory when she was in kindergarten because she had a hearing loss. Once we put the assistive listening device on her it helped her develop not only her auditory memory but her attention too.
If your daughter has any problems with attention, an FM device may be used to help her with her focusing…and it would help also with auditory memory too.
Re: APD/ADD (Sorry, long)
Hi all on this thread
APD is not due to hearing loss, so all an FM system does for APDs is to provide a consitent level of message, so the processing problems due to back gorund noise are reduced. But tFM systems do not help auditory memory for APDs, for that you need to develop your own coping strategies.
APDS have to develop coping strategies to survive everyday life, and these stategies are really tiring to run and operate. They also take up valuable short term memory or working memory space. So APDs have less free short term memory than non APDs.
APD can mimic other disabliites such ADD or ADHD, If you have APD you do not always process verbal input from peers, teachers, or family so you loose the plot as to what is going on and you start to day dream, and after a while you also become frustrated by not being able to communicate as effectively with others in comparison with your peers. This frustration can erupt in some outburst of anger etc.
APDs can due their lack of efective communication skills can also become isolated from their peers, and so they could mimic Autism.
CAPD/ADD
From personal experience….and being a speech pathologist that has worked with people who have Auditory processing issues not to mention…. I have both of these disorders and so does my daughter. I have seen a dramatic improvement in attention and auditory memory when we used an assisitive listening device. She HAD NO AUDITORY MEMORY before using any assisitve listening devices and now she has an incredible auditory memory…even though, the hearling loss and auditory processing issues are still there.
Hi Denise,
I am an SLP and I also am hearing impaired/CAPD/ADD as is my daughter. But if he doesn’t have ADHD he could have co-morbidity between CAPD and ADD-Inattentive. I have given the auditory continuous performance test with kids. It definitely is a challenge and ithe examiner can see where his attention is breaking down. He will hear a series of words in succession and he has to listen for one particular word and raise his hand or push a button when he hears it. It is very boring. Sustained attetention is the key to classroom performance and usually kids with ADD-Inattentive are often overlooked.
Perhaps Adderall didn’t work for your son but perhaps sound therapy or a different medication would… Also does your son appear daydreamy at times? If so have you ever asked him where he goes when he gets that glazed over look? I have with some kids who are ADD and it is surprising the responses I get. :lol: