Autism & Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) - Traits, Types & Resources.

Autism and Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), traits, types and resources.

Intro: Autism and Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) ARE NOT THE SAME. And, Autism & APD often co-occur.

Prevalence: More than half of my autistic clients in therapy and in evaluations have APD, and they've never heard of it. Many Autistic clinicians don't know it and how to help.

This is for: Autistics, clinicians, Neurodivergents, and anyone who arrived here with curiosity.

Paradigms of "sensory sensitivities" & "overstimulation" in Autistic processing can mask APD.

WHY is APD Important?

1. APD causes meltdowns, shutdowns, burn out, and high neurological demands.

2. APD can produce challenges with coordination, reading, procedural data, inner dialogue, and socializing in all areas of life.

3. A brain with APD is at greater risk for cognitive decline, especially without interventions interventions such as:

   
   

   1. Dr. Davis's Music Training Program

      
      

   2. Phonemic Training APD Support

      
      

   3. BrainHQ -- the only brain app designed by audiologist via rigorous APD research.

      
      

   4. Free APD Resources (PDFs) for Loved Ones , Teachers , Zoom Meetings , Employers and more.

Interventions only work if someone knows they have APD! Awareness, identifying traits, testing and diagnosis can be life changing for someone.

Autism, Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), Therapy

How does APD present?

1. Sound Localization - subtle or profound, mistaking where sound is coming from.

2. Blending Phonemes- the brain cannot distinguish phonemes of words, blending them and creating muddled sounds.

3. Looks Away From Conversational Partner - challenges processing speech while simultaneously processing visual data.

4. Fatigue - with socializing in any context and conversing.

5. Prefers Subtitles - to reduce processing demand and to confirm what is being heard.

6. Misophonia - strong threat-amygdala responses to certain sounds.

7. Mumbled Speech - due to blended phonemes.

8. Can Present like Dyslexia - most often interchanging vowel sounds-reading, writing, processing speech and talking.

9. Says "What?" - when spoken to.

10. Loses Ability - to speak, think, and comprehend others coherently due to processing fatigue.

11. Coordination Challenges - using both sides of brain simultaneously may not be organic for people with APD.

12. Misunderstand Song Lyrics - often realized after some time of believing what they misheard.

13. Mispronouncing Words - and difficulty knowing how to pronounce words.

14. Working Memory Challenges - a good APD treatment will include memory tasks.

15. Tinnitus and Ear Infections - commonly found in people with APD.

    
    

APD Traits Are Categorized into 4 Types:

*Someone can have one, multiple of all types.

1. Decoding

2. Integration

3. Prosodic

4. Organizational

See an audiologist, protect your brain or help someone else protect theirs!

WHAT to do about APD?

In the Austin, Texas area, see Dr. Jill Davis at Victory Hearing and Balance. She works with adults, not only children. Get assessed for APD. Dr. Davis designed the Music Training Program, and assesses for hearing aids designed for APD (not hearing loss). She offers neurological information on APD symptoms and personalized recommendations, including the APD Support phonemes online program. Find an Audiologist in your area who knows about APD.

Thank you! CONTACT ME for a free consultation if you have questions. Comment below to contribute to this topic.

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Kristina Bravo, LMFT

kristina-bravo@outlook.com

737-825-5005