They are called the hammer, anvil and the stapes. Let’s start by going deeper into the ear known as the ‘middle ear’ where you will find the tiniest muscles and bones in the entire body. You might be wondering how it is that the ear can affect your child’s ability to focus or learn. The Sound Barrier that Might Be ‘Broken’ in Your Child There is a direct connection between the vestibular system and how it affects attention, motor coordination, and even language and communication. When you consider (or maybe you already know) how much executive functioning influences, you can see why the stimulation of this nerve via the auditory system will impact your child’s energy level, their ability to process information and their brain organization.Īs you likely know the ear is tied to the vestibular system which is why APD also affects movement and balance. The Path to Better Executive Functioning Starts with Auditory Processing The cortex is where that oh so important executive functioning occurs: the planning, organizing, impulse control, reasoning, working memory, emotional regulation, attention, motivation and so much more.

It converts sound waves into electrical waves which provide stimulation to the higher brain known as the cortex. Think of the ear as a portal to the brain that acts as a ‘processing plant’. This occurs via the vagus nerve which is a nerve that runs from the brain stem to the ears and to several organs in the body. Sound travels through the ear and goes into the body via the nervous system. Why Good Auditory Processing is Crucial for Higher Order Brain Skills When a child’s ability to ‘listen’ is compromised then so too is their ability to learn, memorize, pay attention, and even acquire language or communicate. Just because they are hearing information does not mean they are actually processing or that their brain is doing anything with the information. If a child is listening to information they will likely learn. Listening is an active process that requires engagement. We don’t have to do anything with the information – it just happens. The first aspect to understand is the difference between hearing and listening.

The ear has a much more profound effect on learning and attention than we realise. The Ear is Just the Beginning: The Difference Between Hearing & Listening The breakdown with the auditory system is in receiving, processing, interpreting, retaining and even communicating auditory information. It is not a hearing a problem and cannot be diagnosed with a standard hearing test. So, let’s start by understanding auditory processing disorder – and why the auditory systems impacts learning and attention so much.Īuditory Processing Disorder (or difficulties) is when there is a disconnect between what the ear hears and what the brain processes. Understanding Where Learning and Attention Breakdown Occurs in the Brain … or maybe your child has received an official diagnosis of auditory processing disorder or ADHD, SPD and the pscyho-ed evaluation found there are areas of breakdown with the auditory processing that is contributing to your child’s reading, learning or behaviour issues.Īuditory processing disorder occurs in 20% of kids with learning disabilities and behaviour issues and 50% of children with ADHD. Maybe you have noticed that your child has a hard time processing instructions, has difficulty paying attention, remembering information or even filtering out background noise. It says, “If you don’t want your children to hear what you’re saying, pretend you are talking to them.”Ĭhildren not listening is one of the most common complaints of parents and teachers and also has been the inspiration of countless parenting jokes.īut what about if your child’s difficulties with listening goes much further than the regular parent-child battles? Does this sound like your child? My mother has a wooden plaque hanging in her kitchen since my childhood.

Auditory processing disorder adhd