Anyone have have experience with a child who has this? My son has just been diagnosed with this. I need some advice.

I have not had the official meeting about the test results but he has been classified as being SLD. He goes to private school right now but has been tested through the public school system.

I have an appointment for a complete physical with his pediatrician at the end of this month also.

I was just wondering if anyone else has a child diagnosed with this? What are some things I need to know?

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Heather
Mom to three dd 14, ds 8, dd 5

I'm afraid I don't remember, without digging thru papers, if ds has technically been diagnosed with it, but it definitely is part of his Aspergers and ADHD. The biggest thing is to have him tested and find out where this occurs. The school did their own testing, independent of the testing his Dr. did. All concur. He hears things, but may concentrate on only one sound, so doesn't hear the whole sentence. Therefore, it may appear he's listening, but he isn't.

He also has poor working memory, which is very challenging. However, he can tell you the name of every dinosaur and Bionicle out there.

In dealing with the school, the big thing the psychologist was stressing to the teachers is that just telling him how to do an assignment or learn something is not enough. He must see it, concrete. Also, if it's in front of him, he's studying it, he can't really process what direction she is giving. Therefore, if you veer off what is written, you must make sure to repeat it to him, ensure you have his attention, and write down as much as you can. My son also has motor issues, so it's not effective yet for him to take notes. Worse, a child taking notes is too busy taking the note to listen to the next thing the other person is verbalizing.

In a noisy environment, the person can't filter out background noise and listen to the person who is speaking directly at him. I have the same challenge in having him do homework. The TV is on in the other room, but he has to have it off. Homework here is very challenging because he has a younger sister.

Things can change with therapy and maturity. It used to be that I couldn't give him more than one task at a time. If I say, "Go in your room and hang up your shirt, feed your fish and bring me your clothes hamper", he'll go to his room and not think of why he's there. Or he'll go in, hang up his shirt, but not do the next two tasks. He's processed the first part of the sentence, but not the second.

He also can't process info very quickly. If you give him information, then change paths or change subjects, he has to stop you while he thinks of what you just discussed, putting it into his memory banks. Or he won't stop you, but believe me, he also isn't listening.

Because he hears sounds differently, or misses sounds, speech therapy has come into play. His is thru the school.

There is listening therapy available. I tried to get the school to give it to him, but it's still in the unproven, experimental stage, so they do not use it yet. I'm on my own. I have a friend who uses it and she reports it has helped a lot. She's going to try to get me a copy of the CDs, but if that's impossible (due to copyrights), I'll get the info to buy them.

I haven't looked up books on Amazon yet, but I'll bet there are some. I did find these sites, however:

Auditory Processing Disorder in Children

Auditory Processing Disorder
I really liked the info given on this one.

If you google it, you'll get up more info. I'm remembering now that he was diagnosed with it definitely...what is interesting is that I don't think it's in his IEP...note to self. I know the IEP addressed what is needed, but I think we need to add on. Thanks!!

HTH

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Here are some more websites:

Central Auditory Processing Disorders

Central Auditory Processing Disorders

Ideas For APD IEPs



APD is challenging! My DS was also diagnosed with APD as well as AD/HD. I especially like the third website as it gives samples of accomodations to add into the IEP. I usually write a letter to each and every teacher and "suggest" these things to help them as well as my DS every school year.

Good Luck and feel free to ask more questions! My DS is in fifth grade --

My 9 yr old son has Severe APD. Sign language helps him because then he "sees" the words and it is easier for him to retain. The book "Like Sound thru Water" is a really good book for parents of children with APD. It is very frustrating dealing with it sometimes, but there are LOTS of things that can be done to help. The computer program "earobics" is wonderful and it has helped a lot! Good luck with your child!

My almost 10-yr. old son has APD as well. It has been somewhat challenging. He doesn't follow directions well, needs everything repeated, especially school assignment directions and he loses his focus very easily. Many people tend to lose patience with him (especially peers) which is another story altogether.

My son is not diagnosed as ADHD or Aspergers but has a few of their traits in a mild way. I think it's enough to send out signals to his school mates that he's a little different although, to look at him, he doesn't look like there's a problem. He's unfortunately, looked upon as kind of a Bill Gates nerd.

It saddens me to no end the cruelty of kids. My son is the sweetest, most lovable boy in the world, yet kids have no patience for his immaturity.

Although he plays with his cousin and another boy who has APD, he mentioned he wished he could play with the boys in the neighborhood.

I need help emotionally grasping the fact that it is harder for him to make friends than another child without issues. I find myself crying and being upset quite often, but I look to God to ease my pain. I try to keep a positive attitude at all times, but when it's your child the pain is insurmountable.

If any other mothers have advice with how to handle the emotions (my own or my son's) because he does get depressed sometimes, I'd appreciate it.

My thoughts are with you all as well.

Thanks for all the information. My son is newly diagnosed and I just feel lost.
I want to make sure that I am doing everything I can to help him so I need to educate myself as much as possible.

He qualified as being sld through the public school system. His approved IEP's speech, reading and title 1 services. He already has been in speech since he was 3 yrs old.

I have to decide now if I want to take him out of private school. I find out this week what they can offer me as far as help for him. He already has started all of the above IEP's at the private school. I just need to know if the public school can help him better.

The pediatrician recommended that I take him to a child physcolgist and also to get his vision tested. I guess it won't hurt to do it. I just wonder what a physcolgist is going to do for him. He is only 8 yrs old.

I do appreciate everyones help, thanks.

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Heather
Mom to three dd 14, ds 8, dd 5