Living with auditory processing disorder (APD) can sometimes feel like the people in your life are speaking a new language that’s familiar but difficult to understand. The gap between hearing and understanding only gets wider when either the speaker or listener isn’t practicing effective communication strategies.
Why Do Communication Strategies Matter With APD?
Auditory processing disorder means that your brain can’t process the speech it receives from your ears effectively. There are a few ways that difficulty can manifest, including but not limited to:
- Fusing like-sounding words
- Jumbling sentences
- Trouble paying attention
- Issues recalling facts from spoken information
- Needing others to repeat themselves often
- Taking longer to reply
- Difficulty learning a new language
When children have APD, they may also have trouble reading and spelling, often leading to poor grades or frustration in the classroom.
All of those ways that APD can affect you or your child are far more likely to arise when the speaker or listener isn’t communicating effectively.
Effective Communication Strategies
Communication is a two-way street; you and the speaker will need to make a few adjustments to improve understanding:
- Face each other. Sound moves in waves from the speaker’s mouth to the listener’s ear. When the sound waves have a direct, uninterrupted path to you, they’ll be easier to discern than they would be traveling from another room. Talk face-to-face as much as possible for easier understanding.
- Ask the speaker to slow down. If the speaker is talking at a rapid pace, ask them to slow down a bit. They don’t necessarily need to talk slowly, but an even, natural pace will be easier to understand.
- Confirm what you hear. If you’re unsure about what someone said, feel free to repeat back what you heard or ask them to rephrase themselves. They’ll appreciate that you took the time to understand them clearly.
- Devote your attention. Try not to get distracted by your phone or your own thoughts during a conversation. Asking questions or nodding along will help keep you engaged.
Communication strategies paired with environmental shifts will yield the best results for people with APD. For more information or to talk to our specialists about auditory training, contact Ear, Nose and Throat Associates today.