Why does my child not listen to me?
“Children develop critical language skills between the ages of 6 months and 3 years”
Why does my child not listen to me?
When children do not appear to be listening, parents often put it down to hearing problems. They may get their child’s hearing evaluated to find out the hearing and ears are all fine and healthy. However, the listening problems persist. This blog is about understanding a condition called Auditory Processing Disorder. For those who have good hearing equipment, but have difficulty processing the information they hear.
“Although their hearing may be perfectly normal, their brain cannot process those similar sounds accurately”
What is Auditory Processing Disorder
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is a condition in which individuals with normal hearing consistently mishear what is said. Whilst APD is neurological in nature, and may be inherited or caused by developmental issues, research has also shown that early childhood ear infections can be a significant contributory factor.
Children develop critical language skills between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. During this period, language centres within the brain learn to map out sounds and store them for language processing. When a child begins to react to words with a smile or starts speaking their first words, it effectively associates those sounds with meanings.
Reasons Auditory Processing Disorder happens
If a child suffers from frequent middle ear infections during this critical developmental window, their ability to process language and speech can be impaired. Sounds that should normally become imprinted in the brain’s memory and language centres are not properly established. Mishearing occurs because the brain interprets auditory information differently from how it sounds. A good example can be seen when children learning to count cannot differentiate between the words “thirteen” and “thirty.” When they are asked to write down what is heard they are confused with what to write. Although their hearing may be perfectly normal, their brain cannot process those similar sounds accurately.
This inability of the brain to correctly interpret what is heard is at the core of Auditory Processing Disorder.
APD is often difficult to diagnose in children, as it can be masked by other neurodivergent conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD, and developmental coordination disorder (DCD/dyspraxia). The standard hearing tests do not detect APD it can only be identified through specialist audiology assessments.
Key Symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder
Children with APD have also been observed to:
Have trouble paying attention to and remembering information presented orally.
Struggle with carrying out multi-step directions and require more time.
Frequently misunderstand what is said and ask for instructions to be repeated.
Display language difficulties and delays (e.g., confusion with syllable sequences, problems developing vocabulary, and challenges in understanding language).
They appear to have behavioural problems, often because they are not complying with instructions, due to mishearing, not defiance.
Have trouble retrieving spellings, which stems from challenges in recalling sounds accurately.
Some Things You Can Do at Home as a Parent to help Auditory Processing Disorder
It is helpful to allow your child to watch your lips as you speak, as this supports their ability to process speech through visual cues. Aim to have face-to-face interactions as often as possible, as this promotes stronger communication and language development. When giving instructions, keep them short and simple. It is important to note that children aged between two and four years old can typically hold only two pieces of information in their working memory at any given time.
Try to reduce background noise in your environment so your child can focus more easily on what is being said. Competing sounds can make it particularly challenging for children with auditory difficulties to concentrate or respond appropriately. If your child mispronounces a word, playfully encourage them to repeat it correctly, this helps to reinforce accurate speech in a fun and supportive way.
Listening to audiobooks at bedtime can also be beneficial, as it encourages children to follow a storyline and engage with auditory material in a relaxed setting. It is essential to understand that even if your child has learned phonics, this does not always mean they will find blending sounds easy. Be sure to offer plenty of opportunities for additional practice to help consolidate these skills.
Allow your child extra time to process spoken information, particularly when instructions are more complex. Many children with auditory challenges become tired by the end of the school day, as processing speech in noisy environments can be mentally exhausting.
If you suspect that your child may be experiencing difficulties with auditory processing, you can screen them for symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder using a free online tool. Once completed, it is highly recommended to share the results with your child’s school to help inform their support strategies. You can access the screening questionnaire HERE
A therapeutic intervention for Auditory Processing Disorder
Helping your child address APD. To help with the symptoms of ADP and correct the listening problems we offer a structured a Reading and Phonics Integration for ages 6 to 12 and another suited to teenagers Advanced Reading Programme . This is an adaptive therapeutic intervention that learns what sounds are challenging and adapts its questions to suit the difficulties presented.
Cognitive Skills Strengthened for Auditory Processing Disorder
Memory – including working, short-term, and long-term memory, which are essential for word recognition, comprehension, and following instructions.
Attention – the ability to concentrate on information and tasks while ignoring distractions.
Processing Speed – the rate at which one processes incoming information. In reading, this refers to how quickly speech sounds and written letters/words are recognised to create meaning.
Sequencing – the ability to determine the order of letters within words or words within sentences
Reading & Language skills strengthened
• Phonemic Awareness
• Syntax
• Sound-letter Association
• Comprehension
• Decoding
• Grammatical structures
• Vocabulary
• Passage comprehension
• Spelling
• Reading fluency
To find out if your child has symptoms of Auditory Processing Disorder, use THIS free screener and book a consultation to discuss the results
Dyslexia? Dyspraxia? ADHD? ASD? Speech & Language? Developmental Delay? Anxiety?
Is every school day a struggle? As a parent, you may feel exhausted and on this journey alone. Each year you see the gap getting wider. You need to do something - change the approach, help your child learn for themselves, find a way to turn this around - to help while you can - do this NOW. the first step is free.
About the Author
Usha Patel is a Neurocognitive Therapist and Director at Raviv Practice London. Parents searching to help their suspected/neurodiverse child can get evidence-based solutions with results in as little as 8 weeks. Those in search of jargon-free help can get started straight away.
