Auditory Processing Disorder is a lesser-known neurological condition that affects how people make sense of spoken information. We’ve put together this helpful guide to explore what APD symptoms look like, potential causes, and how to get support for APD both in and outside of the workplace.
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a lifelong neurological condition that makes it difficult for individuals to make sense of sound, even when hearing itself is normal. People with APD can hear speech clearly, but their brains don’t process it efficiently, so words may seem unclear or jumbled, especially in noisy environments. APD can only be diagnosed in the UK by a specialist in audiovestibular medicine or an APD‑specialist audiologist.
It’s believed APD may affect 10% of children (1 in 10) and over 20% of adults. Although many people with APD find communication tough, the condition itself has no impact on intelligence and doesn’t limit someone’s capacity to learn.
APD is often picked up in childhood when parents are on the lookout for potentially “out of the ordinary” behaviour. For example, parents may wonder why their child is ignoring them or feel concerned that their child might have hearing issues.
Despite this, some individuals go without a diagnosis until later in life or experience APD in adulthood due to injury or illness. For an adult living with APD, symptoms might include:
These difficulties are sometimes experienced by people without APD. To be considered symptoms of APD, they must occur frequently.
It’s not known for sure what causes APD, but experts believe it may be linked to neurological damage within the brain. This damage can occur for many different reasons. It can appear after a head trauma, a neurological infection, oxygen deprivation during birth, a medical emergency, or another significant medical event. According to the NHS, APD is frequently seen in people who also have attention, language, or learning difficulties, including dyslexia and ADHD. This means symptoms may sometimes be confused with other conditions.
Suspect you may have APD? You don’t have to suffer in silence. APD Support UK have lots of useful information on their website around getting a diagnosis. They suggest that both screening and testing are needed for a full diagnosis since screening alone may not be reliable. As a first step, it’s best to book a hearing test. If your hearing is shown to be normal, you may then want to speak to your doctor. There are specific documents on APD Support UK that you can take with you to your GP appointment. These can help you secure an appropriate referral.
Workplaces can be noisy, busy environments with lots of verbal interactions. So, if you have APD and rely heavily on verbal communication and comprehension in your job, you should speak to your employer about reasonable adjustments. Any neurodevelopmental condition or disorder is considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010 if it has a long-term and substantial impact on daily life, and APD often fits this.
In the workplace, your employer may be able to help by:
Waiting to be tested for APD? Even if you don’t have a formal diagnosis just yet, you should still speak to your boss or HR if you’re facing issues at work. They can help by making small changes or temporary adjustments that make communication less difficult.
APD diagnosis must be carried out by a specialist. In the UK, this means a consultant in audiovestibular medicine or an audiologist with specific expertise in APD. Other professionals (including teachers, SENCOs, and general audiologists) cannot diagnose APD, though they may help identify concerns.
Treatment and support for Auditory Processing Disorder in adults usually involves a combination of audiologists, speech and language therapists, workplace support teams, and sometimes occupational therapists. While APD can’t be cured, strategies and adjustments can significantly improve day‑to‑day communication.
APD and autism are separate conditions, but they can sometimes co‑occur. Some autistic people experience auditory processing difficulties, but having APD does not mean someone is autistic. APD also occurs in many people with no other neurodevelopmental conditions.
Yes. Auditory Processing Disorder in adults can appear after events such as head trauma, neurological illness, or other medical issues affecting the brain. Some adults also reach diagnosis later because their symptoms were missed in childhood.
Our small but mighty team builds leading-edge software that people love. We pride ourselves on a user-led approach to product design. The voice of the customer shapes what we create and that’s exactly how great assistive tech should be made.
