Adult & Pediatric Audiologist Practicing Near Oxford, PA
Do you or your child have trouble understanding spoken words? You don’t have to continually ask “What?” or, even worse, struggle in silence. Whether you are dealing with hearing loss, a learning disability, or an auditory processing disorder (APD), an adult or pediatric audiologist at Hearing Smile Professionals near Oxford, Pennsylvania, can get to the bottom of the issue and help you resolve it.
An APD is a complex condition that affects the sensory area of the brain known as the auditory cortex, which receives and processes sounds. Although the sounds may be loud and clear, the brain does not pick up on the subtle differences among them. For instance, the words “cat,” “that,” and “bat” may all sound the same. It’s easy to see why this can interfere with both learning and social interactions—and it has nothing to do with intelligence.
Do You Have an Auditory Processing Disorder?
The first step in diagnosing an APD is ruling out hearing loss. Many healthcare professionals offer hearing tests, but only a trained audiologist can perform an auditory processing disorder evaluation. This comprehensive process involves a battery of advanced listening tests and can take up to several hours to complete. Based on the results, the audiologist can confirm the diagnosis and suggest a customized treatment plan to address it.
In many cases, an auditory processing disorder can be effectively managed with a combination of:
- Compensatory strategies, such as making eye contact, paying attention to body language, and taking notes when someone is speaking
- Listening environment modifications, such as eliminating distractions and using assistive listening technologies
- Active listening and problem-solving techniques
- Devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants
At Hearing Smile Professionals, we tailor the type, frequency, and intensity of our APD therapy to the age and needs of each patient.
For information about our services, please contact us to request an appointment with an adult or pediatric audiologist at our speech and hearing center near Oxford, PA. We look forward to meeting you and helping you communicate to the best of your ability. We also treat tinnitus.
