How Can I Help My Child With APD? - 2009-08-02
Difficulty with following directions is possibly the single most common complaint about children with Auditory Processing Disorders (APD).
Some of things you can do that may help:
• Reduce background noise.
• Have your child look at you when you're speaking.
• Use simple, expressive sentences.
• Speak at a slightly slower rate and at a mildly increased volume.
• Ask your child to repeat the directions back to you aloud and to keep repeating them aloud (or to himself or herself) until the directions are completed. Make certain your child understands the directions and isn't just copying your words. You can be more certain of this if your child is able to rephrase the directions.
For example, "Take the garbage to the side of the house," may be restated as, "You want me to take the garbage to the side of the house, not to the front."
For directions that are to be completed at a later time, writing notes, wearing a watch, and maintaining a household routine also help. General organization and scheduling also seem to be beneficial for many children with APD.
It's especially important to teach your child to be responsible and actively involved in his or her own success. Your child can be encouraged to notice noisy environments, for example, and move to quieter places when listening is necessary.
These other home strategies may also be helpful:
• Provide your child with a quiet study place (not the kitchen table).
• Maintain a peaceful, organized lifestyle.
• Encourage good eating and sleeping habits.
• Assign regular and realistic chores, including keeping a neat room and desk.
• Begin an auditory processing improvement program.
These are all very important goals. Your modeling of these behaviors goes far toward encouraging them in your child.
Don Harris, MS, CCC-SLP
Certified Speech Language Pathologist
www.SpeechAndListening.com
