Hi all! I free and I'm not AWK anymore. Sorry to be so missing lately, but the computers at work are having bandwith problems so I'm trying to set a good example AND DS11 has been having such rotten behavior that we took away his computer access for the whole week! That meant that I had rather limited times to play this week.

Now DS and DH are away for a weeks vacation to florida, and I've got an appointment for 1/2 of an Central Auditory Processing Test when they return. Of course I kind of wish that there would be some amazing results that would point us in the right direction, perhaps a 'he's normal for his age, but well below what's needed for his grade or intellectual level, and he'll ggrow out of it in time,' would be nice, but mostly I'm expecting just the peace of mind that I've ruled somethime out.

Anyway, wondering if anyone has experiences in this area to share?

Love and More Love,
Grinity

Two of my kids are suspected of having auditory processing issues, but we have not gone for the full work-up yet (DD is almost 7, and DS5 is basically too young, especially considering his speech issues). They have a host of symptoms, and dd did have a brief work-up for it by an audiologist connected with the OT place. We will to go to a place up in Ft. Collins, CO http://www.ablekidsfoundation.org/ for the official auditory eval if and when we need it. The only "treatment" they offer, however, is an ear filter, which I don't see as having any affect on the kind of auditory processing issues my kids seem to have. I will only bother to spend the money if I need the eval for a 504 plan for specific accommodations at school, which I'm hoping will not be necessary. The audiologist from that website is in the camp that does not believe in the effectiveness of listening therapy, and there IS research to back up that position, though in my view there are multiple kinds of auditory processing issues (see, e.g., "The Mislabeled Child" by Brock and Fernette Eide), and some people have benefited from listening therapy even though others have not. Anecdotes of improvement by listening therapy abound, and my kids are among them. They had listening therapy as part of the OT they both did for SPD last fall. http://www.integratedlistening.com/programs/ , http://www.starcenter.us/services-treatment.html#otlt . I wouldn't say it's a cure, but it has helped my kids - the younger one's speech delay improved quite a lot and the older one can now sound out words, whereas she couldn't before.

On to the next step, I was considering something like Interactive Metronome therapy to increase processing speed, but if I'm going to pay good money to have them do a motion in time with a beat, I might as well do something more fun, like piano lessons. So that's on tap to start this summer - now we have to buy a piano, probably an ugly, second hand one that will look oh so attractive in the living room... But these two of my kids both have right brain strengths and left brain weaknesses, and I think the piano, forcing those sides to work together, could be really good for them.

I probably have more to say about listening therapy if that's something you'd consider.

Thanks Snowgirl - ((smile))

Hey Dottie,
The testing appeared to go really well. DS11 took three breaks for hugs, apparently thought it was fun, and the tester was kind and respectful even before when hearing our wild story. She said she has never seen an 11 year old test so well, and that his behavior was excellent as well, that I should stop worrying about ADHD - for sure!

Yippee!
Thanks for the reassurance that 'clean' is 'clean.'

Smiles,
Grinity

That's great Grin! And it's very sweet your DS isn't too cool to come give his mom hugs.

Smiles and Thanks for the well wishes!

Great news Grin! I'm glad everything went so well.

to you Grin!

Thanks! ((big wide grin))