HOW IS APD DIAGNOSED?
An Audiologist is the ONLY professional whose scope of practice is to evaluate the central auditory nervous system and diagnose an auditory processing disorder. While other professionals (Psychologists, Speech-Language Pathologists, Occupational Therapists) may be able to state that an individual has auditory processing weaknesses, it is the sole responsibility of the Audiologist to make a definitive diagnosis of the presence or absence of APD.
An audiologist utilizes specialized equipment to evaluate the central auditory processing system under different conditions of auditory signal distortion and competition. The specific selection of tests will depend on the person’s age, symptoms, and other factors. Dr. Larkin has over thirty years of experience in this area and can accurately assess the peripheral and central auditory system of you or your child using a battery of tests. The tests assess how effectively the auditory nervous system handles complex auditory information. It goes well beyond the simple pure tone hearing screening test that is performed in school or at the doctor’s office. It is through this comprehensive diagnostic process, utilizing deficit specific APD testing, that results are obtained which are then used to develop educational, remedial intervention and compensatory strategies for you or your child.
It is common for a person with APD to have other difficulties that are beyond the scope of an audiology assessment. In those cases, we will work with other professionals to obtain additional evaluations to provide the best outcome for you or your child. This may include:
- Speech-language pathologies for speech and language assessment
- Educational psychologist for psycho-educational assessment
- Occupational therapist for proprioceptive, vestibular and sensory assessments
- Developmental optometrist for visual processing assessment