is apd a disability?
Auditory processing disorder (APD), also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), refers to a condition that impacts the brain’s ability to filter and interpret sounds.
People with APD have normal hearing abilities, but their brains have a hard time receiving, organizing, and making sense of sound. Auditory processing disorder is typically diagnosed in school-aged children.
APD is somewhat controversial – much debate continues among scientists today about diagnostic criteria for APD, and whether it should be considered a distinct disorder at all.1
Given these issues, estimates of APD’s prevalence rates vary considerably, from 0.5 to 7 percent of the population and even more.2 APD’s symptoms (see more below) also overlap with that of other conditions and disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) and learning disabilities.
Individuals with APD experiences difficulties in these four areas of auditory skill, according to the National Center for Learning Disabilities3:
[Could You Have Auditory Processing Disorder? Take This Symptoms Screener] [Think Your Child Has APD Symptoms? Take This Test]
Common signs of APD, according to the American Academy of Audiology4, include:
The symptoms of APD can impact listening and communication skills, and they may make academic success difficult to achieve. The same applies to adults with APD, who may show difficulties with telephone conversations, following directions, and other issues in the workplace 5.
There is considerable overlap between APD and ADHD symptoms. They include 6:
[Free Download: Does My Child Have Auditory Processing Disorder?]
One dated study even suggests that 50 percent of individuals diagnosed with APD also meet criteria for ADHD 7. Some experts also believe that APD is simply part of the sensory processing deficits typically experienced by individuals with ADHD (one study that may contribute to this belief, for example, found that children with ADHD who take stimulant medications for treatment do better in hearing and listening tests compared to children with ADHD who took no medication 8). Still, most contend that APD and ADHD are separate disorders, especially given key differences in executive functioning (EF) skills (APD is not strongly tied to EF deficits, while ADHD is) and the parts of the brain associated with each condition 6.
APD’s causes are unclear, but the condition is thought to be either:
Auditory processing disorder is not listed in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The symptoms commonly associated with APD, however, tend to fall under the DSM-5’s language disorder diagnosis category.
Audiologists, psychologists, and speech-language pathologists screen for APD using a battery of tests that examine the patient’s auditory discrimination, processing, attention, memory and more4. These tests, for example, may ask patients to listen to tones and identify whether they are high or low, and listen to audio input and repeat back what they heard10. Clinicians also make sure to rule out hearing loss and other conditions that may be causing the symptoms.
Patients should be at least 7 years old by the time of evaluation, according to guidelines from the American Academy of Audiology, as the cognitive functions that are involved in testing are usually still developing in younger children4.
Auditory processing disorder is considered a lifelong condition. Treatment for APD consists of skills training to reorganize and improve the way the brain processes sound, as well as interventions and accommodations in the classroom, in the workplace, and at home. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), APD is considered a specific learning disability, characterized by a disorder “that may manifest itself in the imperfect ability to listen.”
While interventions are available for individuals of all ages with APD, experts agree that early diagnosis and treatment are better for symptom outlook, given the brain’s increased plasticity at young age4.
Auditory training includes a variety of exercises that target specific deficits directly, or via “compensatory” strategies. Therapy can range from computer-assisted software programs, like Fast ForWord and Earobics, to one-on-one training with a speech and language therapist. Some therapy techniques include3:
Treatment schedules vary, but many clinicians meet patients for therapy about four times a week for up to half an hour11.
Possible APD accommodations for the classroom, the office, and at home include 4 9 12 :
[Read This Next: Where to Go for Help with Auditory Processing Disorder]
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While the Social Security Administration (SSA) has no listing for APD, it is a condition for which you may still be able to qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits, though doing so will require you to qualify under a medical vocational allowance.
APD causes a wide range of symptoms for sufferers. The first and primary symptom that most patients complain of is hearing loss, though auditory tests usually come back with completely normal results. Other symptoms that may be present with the condition include:
As the condition typically presents with what are considered primarily psychological issues or learning deficit problems, patients are commonly treated through:
As the condition also commonly causes anxiety and depression issues, patients with APD are also commonly prescribed anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications and encouraged to practice meditation and other relaxation therapy techniques.
There are no standard diagnostic evaluations or criteria associated with APD. In other words, physicians do not agree on how to diagnose or identify the condition or how to treat it. It is a difficult condition to document as a result, but the SSA still requires extensive medical records to substantiate any diagnosis on which a disability application is filed. Your medical records, including your auditory test results and neurological exams, and psychological evaluation results, are all important aspects of your SSD application.
As there is no dedicated listing for APD in the SSA’s Blue Book, to qualify for benefits when a condition is not listed with the SSA, applicants must either:
Auditory processing disorder (APD), which is also commonly known as central auditory disorder (CAPD), is a disorder in which individuals have difficulty understanding what they are hearing due to a lack of coordination between their brain and their ears. It affects about 5% of school children and can have a significant impact on their ability to function, especially at school.
Children with APD are unable to detect subtle differences between sounds in words even though they have no difficulty actually hearing the words. For example, a child with APD may have difficulty distinguishing between words that sound the same, such as cat and hat. Background noise or distractions further limit their ability to understand words.
Symptoms for children with APD can vary from mild to severe and are different in every child. Common symptoms can include:
A significant indication that your child may be suffering from APD is a noted increase in performance in a quiet environment. APD may also be a part of another problem, such as a learning disability.
Over time, if APD is untreated or unsuccessfully treated, children can develop speech impairments or academic difficulties due to their lack of auditory processing skills.
To qualify for SSI, there are income and asset requirements for the family with whom the child lives. The family's countable income cannot be higher than the SSI limit. For more information, please see our article on family income deeming for child SSI.
To meet one of Social Security's disability listings (conditions that are severe enough to qualify your child for disability benefits), you must prove that your child has impairments that meet the required elements of the listing.
For children with auditory processing disorder, Listing 111.09, communication impairment, under Neurological Disorders, addresses APD. Children can meet this listing if they:
It is essential to provide a proper diagnosis of APD from your child's doctor and detailed reports on your child's comprehension or speech deficits in order to increase your child's likelihood of receiving benefits. The reports should come from a trained individual, such as an audiologist or speech pathologist.
To "equal" a disability listing, you must show that your child has an impairment that is very similar to a listing and is equal to the listing in both severity and duration.
The above listing separates comprehension and speech impairments. However, if your child has been diagnosed with APD and doesn't quite meet either the comprehension deficit part of the listing or the speech deficit part alone, your child could equal the listing if he or she has a combination of speech and comprehension problems that prevent effective communication.
It is important to provide doctors' opinions that the severity of your child's impairments combined are equal to the level of impairment that is required for the listing.
If your child does not technically meet a listing, your child may still be able to receive benefits if he or she has a marked or severe impairment in one or more functional areas (this is called functionally equaling the listings).
The functional areas that are relevant to APD include acquiring and using information and attending and completing tasks. There are five main problem areas for children with APD, as follows.
Currently, APD is recognized as a “specific learning disability” under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
