AUDITORY PROCESSING

WHAT CAN IT HELP WITH?

Speech and language delays and difficulties
Clumsiness
Forgetting simple instructions
Difficulties with reading and reading comprehension
Vision Based Reading Difficulties
Hypersensitive hearing (often associated with autism)
Poor concentration
Bedwetting
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Attention deficit disorder (ADD)
Sensory processing disorder (SPD)
Auditory processing disorder (APD)
Poor working memory
Poor spatial awareness
Anxiety
Anger

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Regular audiograms simply measure hearing loss, but our more advanced audiogram will assess how a person hears, potentially revealing hidden difficulties which may be impacting speech, learning and behaviour.

For example, hypersensitive hearing can make it impossible to phase out background noises, making a person highly distractible. This can also lead to anxiety issues and social withdrawal.

For others, the test may show that not all sounds are being heard at the same volume. For such people, listening to language is a bit like listening on a mobile phone in an area of poor reception.

We also check for any dyslaterality. This means that some people tune into one ear for some sounds and the other ear for different sounds. This can have the result of flipping the order in which sounds are processed by the brain, resulting in speech and language problems or poor auditory processing.

The Johansen Technique uses specially modulated music in order to ‘retrain’ the ears to hear in a more balanced way and resolve any anomalies.

Auditory Processing Success Story

When he was younger, Thomas suffered from recurring ear infections and tonsillitis. Until Year 4, Thomas was having difficulties in school. He would mishear words and struggle to remember instructions. He couldn't understand his friends' conversations at play time, all of which was affecting his self esteem.

When Thomas first came to VisionCare for his auditory processing assessment, it revealed that not only did Thomas have mild hearing loss at most frequencies, his auditory profile was spiky, disorganised and he was experiencing uncomfortable sound distortion.

After listening to his specially customised music for only 10 weeks, the quality of Thomas' hearing had dramatically improved. Now, as Thomas approaches the end of the programme, he feels like a different person!

Thomas is no longer as tired or frustrated. He feels happier. His concentration is significantly better, and his grades for effort and attainment are consistently higher. Thomas is now finding his homework much easier and he is now so much more organised and independent.

Here are Thomas' audiograms. He has undertaken the whole Johansen Auditory Stimulation programme, which takes around 12 months.