Nanci: What therapies and interven-tions;do;you;find;most;helpful;for;APD?
Shelley: As APD presents differently
in every child, it is important to consult
with a professional audiologist and/or
speech therapist about which treatments
are best for your child. Some programs
that have been beneficial for children
with;APD;include;these:;Specialized;lis-tening therapy programs such as “
Therapeutic Listening,” auditory training
computer;programs;such;as;“Earobics”
or;“Fast;For Word,”;“Visualizing;and;Ver-balizing for Language Comprehension
and Thinking” by Lindamood-Bell for
improving comprehension and language
organization,;and;“LiPS”;by;Lindamood-Bell;for;improving;phonological;aware-ness;skills.
Nanci:;Is;it;true;that;a;diagnosis;of;APD
can;be;made;only;after;age;7?
Shelley: Yes. In order to separate true
auditory processing from other skills
such as language, attention, or sensory
integration, the audiologist uses a variety
of;very;specific;tasks.;Children;under;age
7;simply;have;not;developed;the;cogni-
tive;skills;needed;in;order;to;understand
what;they;are;being;asked;to;do;during
the evaluation.
Nanci:;What;other;issues;can;APD;be
mistaken;for?
Shelley: It is important to remember
that;when;correctly;diagnosed,;true;APD
can be an independent problem. However, it is often concomitant or totally
mistaken;for;ADD/ADHD,;Sensory;In-tegration Disorder, Dyslexia, Receptive
and/or Expressive Language Disorders,
behavioral problems, or hearing loss.
Here’s;a;webpage;( www.asha.org/public
/hearing/Understanding-Auditory-Processing-Disorders-in-Children/);with
a;nice;overview;of;APD;from;the;Ameri-can Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) on Understanding Auditory
Processing;Disorders;in;Children.
Lindsey Simpson is a vibrant young
woman with a strong faith. She also has
APD.;She;is;a;co-author;of;Same Journey,
Different Paths: Stories of Auditory Pro-
cessing Disorder (published;May;2013—
amzn.to/1aAKY5m]. Her striking art-
work;was;a;2012;winner;in;the;Hidden
Thoughts of Learning Disabilities Art
Contest.
Nanci: How;did;you;find;out;that;you
had APD, and how did that change
things for you?
Lindsey: When I was in the seventh
grade, my mom met a college student
who was an Education major. My mom
talked to her about my struggles in
school, and that college student became
my tutor. After some time of observing me, she went to my mom and said,
“I believe Lindsey has something called
Auditory;Processing;Disorder.”;My;mom
looked;up;everything;she;could;find;on
APD,;and;the;more;she;read,;the;more
she was convinced that I had it.
I;was;tested,;and;I;did;have;APD,;along
with a reading disability. My parents
were afraid I would feel discouraged or
labeled, but I remember feeling on top of
the world when I found out. It was a relief
that there was a reason for my struggles
and that it wasn’t anything under my
control;or;my;“fault”;for;having;such;a
hard;time;in;school.
After that, I started getting accom-
modations at school and things became
much easier on me. God has put every-
thing in my life at the exact time it need-
ed;to;happen.;If;these;events;hadn’t;hap-
pened through my life in the way they
did,;I;don’t;know;where;I’d;be;right;now!
I have learned to just have faith that God
will;take;care;of;me.;I;look;back;and;He
always;has,;so;I;know;that;He;always;will!
Nanci: How has your faith helped you
in;your;struggles;with;APD?
Lindsey:
God;has;been;my;Rock,;giv-ing;me;strength;to;keep;going;and;per-severe through school. The verse that
really encourages me is 2 Corinthians
1:4:;“He comforts us in all our troubles so
that we can comfort others. When they are
troubled, we will be able to give them the
same comfort God has given us.” 2 Let me
explain why: A few years ago, I found a
group;on;Facebook;for;people;who;have
APD;(or;people;who;have;children;with
APD),;and;I;have;gotten;to;know;and
have built strong friendships with many
of;them.;If;I;didn’t;have;APD,;I;wouldn’t
ever have had the opportunity to meet
these people who share my struggles.
We are able to vent to each other about
our;problems.;It’s;a;great;feeling;to;know
that;another;person;understands.;There’s
a special connection we have with each
other;that;we;couldn’t;have;with;anyone
else. It gives me an opportunity to be
there for them and build them up when
they’re;discouraged.;They;have;done;the
same for me!
Simply having the opportunity to share
my;faith;makes;dealing;with;APD;worth
it. God has turned what the world considers a disability into a blessing and an
opportunity to share my faith with oth-ers;who;don’t;know;how;much;God;truly
can change their lives. If I could some-how;go;back;in;time;and;take;away;my
APD,;I;don’t;think;I;would.;It’s;worth
it to go through what I go through if it
means I can have an impact on even
one;person’s;life;and;share;the;news;of
Jesus Christ!
Nanci: What would you say to encour-age;parents;who;have;children;with;APD?
What are some helpful accommodations
to the home environment that can help
their children succeed?
Lindsey: I was homeschooled from
first through fourth grade. One-on-one teaching is a huge help because you
can really focus on your child. You can
experiment with all the different learn-ing;styles;and;figure;out;how;your;child
learns the best.
If;your;child;has;APD,;he’s;probably;not
an;auditory;learner.;I’m;a;visual;learner,
www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
My parents were afraid I
would feel discouraged
or labeled, but I
remember feeling on
top of the world when I
found out. It was a relief
that there was a reason
for my struggles and that
