Auditory Perception Disability
Auditory Perception Disabilities: Some children have difficulty distinguishing slight differences in sounds. The child might appear to misunderstand what you are saying and, thus, respond incorrectly. Children might have difficulty with auditory comprehension. If there is background noise the child may not listen when you are speaking. They may be distracted by the background rather than listening to your words. It appears as if the child never pays attention. If you call his or her name first and get eye contact the problem may improve. Some children cannot process sound inputs as fast as normal. They have an auditory delay. If you speak at a normal pace they might miss part of what you are saying. You may find that you normally speak slower with them.
As with visual perception, your child may have difficulty with one or several aspects of auditory perception. Those who have difficulty distinguishing subtle differences in sounds will misunderstand what you are saying and respond incorrectly. Words that sound alike are often confused – blue and blew or ball and bell. You may ask a child, "How are you?" He may answer, "I'm nine." He thought he heard an old instead of, or in addition to, are.
Some children have difficulty with auditory figure-ground. He or she might be watching television in a room where others are playing or talking. You are in the kitchen and call out to the child. You might be into your third paragraph before he or she begins to pick your voice (figure) out of the other sound inputs (background). It appears that the child never listens or pays attention.
Some children cannot process sound input as fast as normal people can. This is called an "auditory lag." If you speak at a normal pace, the child may miss part of what you are saying. You have to speak slower, or give separate instructions, before he or she can follow you. If you were to say, "It's getting late – go upstairs, wash your face and get into your pajamas, then come down for a snack," your child may hear only the first part and stay upstairs. If you gave the first part of the instructions, then waited a few seconds before you added the rest, however, the child might hear the whole thing.
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