Auditory Processing vs Hearing Loss: What a Standard Hearing Test Checks
A standard hearing test checks whether a sound was heard. It does not ask what happens to the sound after that. A child's hearing can test fine, and listening can still be hard. Talk with your child's doctor about the hearing result. In our view, take a hearing concern to your child's doctor or an audiologist.
TL;DR
- A standard hearing test checks whether a sound was heard. It does not ask what happens to the sound after that. A normal result is good to know. It may not explain what you see at home. Talk with your child's doctor about the hearing result.
- A British audiology body describes auditory processing disorder as listening trouble with normal hearing (British Society of Audiology, 2018). One large UK study argued that auditory processing disorder is mainly an attention problem (Moore and colleagues, 2010). This is not settled. Ask your child's doctor whether hearing has been checked recently.
- A US audiology body says audiologists should diagnose auditory processing disorder (American Academy of Audiology, 2010). We cannot tell you whether your child has auditory processing disorder. In our view, take a hearing concern to your child's doctor or an audiologist. Ask your child's doctor whether hearing has been checked recently.
- In our view, ask your child's doctor what the hearing check looked at. Ask whether an audiologist should see your child. Tell the doctor what you see at home, and when it happens. Talk with your child's doctor about the hearing result.
What a hearing test checks
A standard hearing test checks whether a sound was heard. It does not ask what happens to the sound after that.
”In plain wordsA normal result is good to know. It may not explain what you see at home. Talk with your child's doctor about the hearing result.
Listening trouble with a normal result
A British audiology body describes auditory processing disorder as listening trouble with normal hearing (British Society of Audiology, 2018). One large UK study argued that auditory processing disorder is mainly an attention problem (Moore and colleagues, 2010). This is not settled. Both the British description and the UK study concern children with normal hearing. We cannot tell you whether your child has auditory processing disorder. Talk with your child's doctor about the hearing result.
Who to ask about listening trouble
A US audiology body says audiologists should diagnose auditory processing disorder (American Academy of Audiology, 2010). We cannot tell you whether your child has auditory processing disorder. In our view, take a hearing concern to your child's doctor or an audiologist. Ask your child's doctor whether hearing has been checked recently.
What to ask next
- In our view, ask your child's doctor what the hearing check looked at.
- Ask whether an audiologist should see your child.
- Tell the doctor what you see at home, and when it happens.
In our view, take a hearing concern to your child's doctor or an audiologist.
Our page on processing difficulties has more.
When to ask for help
Each of these is a reason to ask for help on its own.
- Little change, even with steady practice and good teaching.
- Schoolwork well below what school expects.
- A teacher who raises a concern about learning.
- Extreme upset about schoolwork.
- Complete avoidance of school or learning.
- Hopelessness about learning.
- Sadness or worry that lasts.
- Significant delays in speech, language or motor development.
- A skill that was there and has gone. Our position is that a lost skill goes to a doctor first, not a tutor.
If no skill has gone, start with the teacher. Say what you are seeing at home, and what you have tried. Beyond the teacher, the right person depends on what it turns out to be about. If the work is too hard, someone who works on that school skill. If worry or mood is the thing, someone who works with children's mental health. In our view, delays in speech, language or movement are worth raising with your child's doctor. In our view, if you are worried enough to ask, a professional evaluation is worth asking about.
Any talk of hurting themselves is a same-day call to your doctor or a crisis line.
In the classroom
A child's hearing can test fine, and listening can still be hard. If a child often seems not to catch spoken words, tell the family. They can ask the child's doctor or an audiologist about hearing.
Two sentences for an email home: "Your child often misses spoken directions in class. What do you notice at home?"
Key Takeaways
A standard hearing test checks whether a sound was heard. It does not ask what happens to the sound after that. A normal result is good to know. It may not explain what you see at home. Talk with your child's doctor about the hearing result.
A British audiology body describes auditory processing disorder as listening trouble with normal hearing (British Society of Audiology, 2018). One large UK study argued that auditory processing disorder is mainly an attention problem (Moore and colleagues, 2010). This is not settled. Ask your child's doctor whether hearing has been checked recently.
A US audiology body says audiologists should diagnose auditory processing disorder (American Academy of Audiology, 2010). We cannot tell you whether your child has auditory processing disorder. In our view, take a hearing concern to your child's doctor or an audiologist. Ask your child's doctor whether hearing has been checked recently.
Write down two or three times your child missed what you said. Add where you were and what else was going on. Show the list to the doctor or audiologist, and ask about hearing.
”What to do tonightWhat to use next
An overview of processing skills. Our work on each runs alongside reading, spelling or math instruction, not in place of it.
Common questions from parents
The hearing test was normal. Why does my child still miss what I say?
A standard hearing test checks whether a sound was heard. It does not ask what happens to the sound after that. A British audiology body describes auditory processing disorder as listening trouble with normal hearing (British Society of Audiology, 2018). One large UK study argued that auditory processing disorder is mainly an attention problem (Moore and colleagues, 2010). This is not settled. We cannot tell you whether your child has auditory processing disorder. Talk with your child's doctor about the hearing result.
What is the difference between auditory processing disorder and hearing loss?
A standard hearing test checks whether a sound was heard. Hearing loss is trouble hearing the sounds themselves. That is what the test looks for. A British audiology body describes auditory processing disorder as listening trouble with normal hearing (British Society of Audiology, 2018). One large UK study argued that auditory processing disorder is mainly an attention problem (Moore and colleagues, 2010). This is not settled. In our view, take a hearing concern to your child's doctor or an audiologist. Ask your child's doctor whether hearing has been checked recently.
My child passed a hearing check. What should we ask next?
In our view, ask your child's doctor what the hearing check looked at. Ask whether an audiologist should see your child. Tell the doctor what you see at home, and when it happens. Talk with your child's doctor about the hearing result.
Who tests for auditory processing disorder?
A US audiology body says audiologists should diagnose auditory processing disorder (American Academy of Audiology, 2010). We cannot tell you whether your child has auditory processing disorder. In our view, take a hearing concern to your child's doctor or an audiologist. Ask your child's doctor whether hearing has been checked recently.