Understanding the Differences Between Auditory Processing Disorders

and Speech and Language Disorders

Language comprehension…language processing…auditory processing… what does it all mean? The various terminology used to describe a child’s difficulty with listening can be overwhelming to say the least. A first encounter with these terms might feel perplexing as parents search for the best possible help to meet their child’s needs. Here is a little information about the differences between auditory processing, speech and language disorders, and reading disorders.

Auditory Processing Disorder:

By definition, "auditory processing disorders (ADP) are deficits in the information processing of audible signals not attributed to impaired peripheral hearing sensitivity or intellectual impairment. This information processing involves perceptual, cognitive, and linguistic functions that, with appropriate interaction, result in effective receptive communication of auditorily presented stimuli." "APD refers to limitations in the ongoing transmission, analysis, organization, transformation, elaboration, storage, retrieval, and use of information contained in audible signals. Children with APD may exhibit a variety of listening and related complaints. They may have difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, following directions, and discriminating (or telling the difference between) similar-sounding speech sounds. In school, children with APD may have difficulty with spelling, reading, and understanding information presented verbally in the classroom. APD may co-exist with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or other disorders. "

Treatment for APD generally focuses on 3 areas:

changing the learning or communication environment
recruiting higher-order skills to help compensate for the disorder
remediation of the auditory deficit itself.

Environmental accommodations can be made for the child with APD. There are two types of approaches for such accommodations, a bottom-up and top-down approach. The bottom-up approach focuses on "enhancing the signal and listening environment", and the top-down approach focuses on "classroom, instructional, workplace, recreational, and home accommodations". Various treatments can include: preferential seating to improve acoustic signal, use of visual aids, reduction of competing signals, and emphasizing key words.

Speech and Language/Communication Disorders:

Receptive/Expressive Language Disorder

By definition, "a communication disorder is an impairment in the ability to receive, send, process, and comprehend concepts or verbal, nonverbal, and graphic symbol systems. A communication disorder may be evident in the processes of hearing, language, and/or speech." On the other hand, "a speech disorder is an impairment of the articulation of speech sounds, fluency, and/or voice, and an articulation disorder is the atypical production of speech sounds, characterized by substitutions, omissions, additions, or distortions that may interfere with intelligibility." "A language disorder is impaired comprehension and/or use of spoken, written, and/or other symbol systems."

Treatment for speech sound disorders can focus on phonological/language-based interventions or articulation production. "Most treatment approaches focus on three phases: establishing target behaviors, generalization or carryover of sound production, and maintenance that involves stabilization of target behaviors and self-correction of errors."

Treatment for language disorders focuses on increasing the frequency and quality of language to age-appropriate levels. This type of treatment may involve: improving intelligibility, increasing phonological awareness, increasing vocabulary and social communication skills, and building emergent literacy skills.

Several accommodations can be made to assist children with language disorders by " providing current documentation needed to access services (e.g., testing and academic accommodations in a post-secondary setting) and helping students identify and advocate for supports, accommodations, and assistive technologies as needed."

This blog post was extracted from an article in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology.

Source: “Understanding the Differences Between Auditory Processing, Speech and Language Disorders, and Reading Disorders .” American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Oct. 2014.

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