When I say “I have Auditory Processing Disorder”, most people say “What?”
It’s estimated that like dyslexia, 10% of the population have APD. Despite that, it’s not well known about. Yet.
Like most specific learning differences, APD is usually caused by different brain wiring. Some people (like me) are born with APD and others develop it due to brain damage or in their old age.
Auditory Processing Disorder is not to do with your actual hearing, just like how people with Dyslexia can have perfect eyesight, but still struggle to read. It’s all about how your brain processes the sounds you hear.
Sounds can become mixed together, mushy, too loud or quiet, drowned out by background noise, distorted and swapped around.
Because our society and way of life is based on communicating by talking to each other, it’s easy for a hearing impairment to cut you off from other people.
Learn more about Auditory Processing Disorder here