Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
Members of the Sign Hi Say Hi! Committee recently held a meeting with the National Deaf Children’s Society local groups co-ordinator during which a range of topics were discussed.
Amongst the topics discussed was support for children with Auditory Processing Disorder as NDCS do not appear to support children with APD.
NDCS confirmed that they don’t support families who have a child with APD alone (APD with ‘normal’ hearing thresholds). They would support child with a hearing loss where the deaf child also has APD also known as Secondary APD.
NDCS advised that unfortunately APD is not widely accepted as an audiological disorder but more of a cognitive disorder. The NHS will see many children with listening difficulties and provides them with advice about how to manage these difficulties on a day to day basis but sadly there is not much other support they can give as it isn’t a hearing disorder per se.
As Sign Hi Say Hi! is affiliated to the National Deaf Children’s Society we do follow their policies so unfortunately if there are any families with children with APD and no hearing loss unfortunately we are unable to provide support.
