Call Today Burnsville MN 952-388-2869 http://hearing-aids-burnsville-mn.com 14050 Nicollet Ave. South Suite 114 Burnsville, MN 55337 Did you know that we actually hear with our brains? Of course our ears are an essential part of the process but it is our brain that translates sounds to meaning. The ears collect sound waves and convert the acoustic energy to electrical impulses for the brain to interpret. In cases of hearing loss there is damage to the ear which alters the message the brain receives. The brain only gets a partial signal. For these patients we use hearing aids to help the brain fill in the gaps of missing information.

1. Auditory Processing – Hearing With Your Brain
Did you know that we actually hear with our
brains? Of course our ears are an essential
part of the process but it is our brain that
translates sounds to meaning. The ears
collect sound waves and convert the
acoustic energy to electrical impulses for the
brain to interpret. In cases of hearing loss
there is damage to the ear which alters the message the brain
receives. The brain only gets a partial signal. For these patients
we use hearing aids to help the brain fill in the gaps of missing
information.
Some individuals have normal hearing but still cannot translate
sound correctly. These individuals have what we call an Auditory
Processing Disorder (APD). In these cases the ear itself is healthy
(undamaged) but the wiring between the ears and brain is faulty
so the brain receives a distorted or jumbled signal. Individuals
with APD behave as though they have hearing loss (see common
characteristics) even though they score within normal range to
tones on a hearing test.
APD affects children (5-10% of school aged kids) and adults.
Typically for children an auditory processing problem is noticed
between ages 6-12, as the child begins to struggle in school. APD
is less common in adults but is usually identified following a
stroke or head injury. In many ways APD resembles ADHD in the
classroom and in fact the two often co exist. However they are
two very different disorders that need to be managed individually.
An audiologist can diagnose APD through a series of tests done in
a sound treated booth, and will work with other professionals
(teachers, education specialists, physicians, speech language
pathologists) and parents to fully understand the academic and
The Hearing and Balance Lab, PC
425-225-2626

2. social impact of the child’s APD to create an individual treatment
plan.
Audiology Concepts (Burnsville location) is one of the few clinics
in MN to provide diagnostic APD evaluations and recommend
appropriate treatment. Visit our website
www.audiologyconcepts.com or call for a free APD packet for
more information.
Common Characteristics of APD:
• Saying “huh” or “what” often
• Asking for repetitions
• Misunderstanding words
• Extreme difficulty hearing in background noise
• Difficulty following multi-step directions
• Difficulty localizing to sound
• Poor auditory memory
• Reading and spelling difficulties
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The Hearing and Balance Lab, PC
425-225-2626