Central Auditory Processing Disorder—also called Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)—isn’t a problem with the ears; it’s about how the brain handles the sounds the ears hear. Think of listening like a staircase: first we notice a sound, then tell sounds apart (e.g., “b” vs “d”), then identify them, and finally understand the message. With APD, the ears usually hear just fine, but somewhere on the higher steps the brain has trouble turning sound into clear meaning—especially in noise. That’s why many people with APD say, “I can hear, but I can’t understand.” APD is fairly common and often appears alongside a history of ear infections, dyslexia, or ADHD.

APD can look like inattention or “not trying,” when it’s really a listening difficulty. You might notice your child:
• Struggles to follow classroom instructions or needs directions repeated.
• Finds reading, spelling, or learning nursery rhymes harder than expected (reading is an auditory skill).
• Has delays with speech/language, unclear speech, or a smaller-than-expected vocabulary for their age.
• Is thrown by background noise (busy classrooms and cafeterias) and may become noisy, restless, or shut down.
• Seems forgetful, disorganised, or finds it hard to sequence information for stories or writing.

If you would like to know more about the symptoms of auditory processing disorder (APD) in children, please refer to the raisingchildrennet.au’s Auditory Processing Disorder webpage.

 

Many adults with APD have normal hearing tests but still struggle day-to-day. You might:
• Hear words but miss the meaning—especially in restaurants, meetings, or open-plan offices.
• Often ask people to repeat themselves.
• Mishear words or song lyrics and rely more on captions or lip-reading.
• Be fitted with hearing aids or cochlear implants yet receive limited benefit.
 

If you would like to know more about the symptoms of auditory processing disorder (APD) in adults, please refer to the Mayo Clinic’s Auditory Processing Disorder webpage.

If the patterns above sound familiar, please complete the Buffalo Model Questionnaire—Revised (Simplified) – Adult or Child form, and the Hearing Inventory Questionnaire for Children or Adults. An audiologist will contact you to arrange a free 15-minute phone consultation to discuss your results.

Forms

Adults

• BUFFALO MODEL QUESTIONNAIRE - REVISED Simplified Adult Form
• Hearing Inventory Questionnaire for Adults

Children

• BUFFALO MODEL QUESTIONNAIRE - REVISED Simplified Child Form
• Hearing Inventory Questionnaire for Children

Pricing

Simple, transparent fees. NDIS self-managed and plan-managed welcome.
Medicare Chronic Disease Management plans can attract rebates (gap may apply).