Evaluation and treatment of children and adults with central auditory processing deficits. Hearing screenings and basic auditory evaluations to assess hearing ability. Auditory training, aural rehabilitation, and therapy for auditory processing problems.
This Clinic is designed for children and adults who have difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, following directions, and discriminating similar sounding speech sounds. Individuals may act as if they are hearing impaired, often asking for clarification or repetition of information, despite having normal hearing thresholds. Children might exhibit reading problems and their performance in school is better when they don't have to heavily rely on spoken language. Teachers will often remark that children do so much better one-on-one than in group instruction and that their auditory attention wanes as the afternoon progresses.
This Clinic is also appropriate for individuals who are seeking hearing tests and aural rehabilitation services (learning to listen again with hearing aids or cochlear implants). Services include formal diagnostics and individualized treatment in a one-on-one setting. Finally, hearing conservation services are provided covering education and custom earmolds, i.e. musician earplugs, noise protection or swimmer's earmolds.
Program Goals
- Improve auditory skills: binaural listening (the brain listening to both ears equally), auditory attention span, attending to speech in noise, listening to fast paced speech, auditory working memory and developing other auditory processing skills
- Provide auditory training
- Utilize innovative application of computer based instruction and strategies based on current research
- Integrate parents and caregivers into therapy program
Treatment Approaches/Therapeutic Strategies
Treatment for CAPD is highly individualized and not all treatment approaches are appropriate. Therefore, treatment is selected based on each individual's evaluation results,
- Education in instructional teaching strategies
- Communication and self-help strategy training
- Traditional auditory training approaches
Treatment Tools
Innovative application of computer based instruction and strategies based on current research:
- Constraint Induced Auditory Therapy (CIAT©)
- Dichotic Interaural Intensity Difference (DIID©;) Protocol
- Listening and Communication Enhancement (LACE©)
- Auditory Rehabilitation for Interaural Asymmetry (ARIA©)
Hearing Conservation:
- Education about noise induced hearing loss prevention
- Custom earmolds and ear protection
- Selection of prefabricated ear protection