Central Auditory Processing (CAP)

What is central auditory processing?

Central auditory processing (CAP) is the way the brain interprets and understands sound. It is a complex process that involves many different parts of the brain, including the auditory cortex, the temporal lobes, and the cerebellum.

What is an example of central auditory processing disorder?

Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) is a condition that affects the way the brain processes sound. People with CAPD may have difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments, following directions, or localizing sounds.

What are examples of auditory processing skills?

Auditory processing skills are the skills that the brain uses to understand sound. Some examples of auditory processing skills include:

  • Attention: The ability to focus on and attend to sound.
  • Auditory discrimination: The ability to tell the difference between different sounds.
  • Auditory memory: The ability to remember sounds.
  • Auditory sequencing: The ability to put sounds in order.
  • Auditory closure: The ability to fill in missing sounds.
  • Auditory figure-ground: The ability to hear a specific sound in the presence of other sounds.

How to cope with central auditory processing disorder? 

There are a number of ways to cope with CAPD. Some common strategies include:

  • Using visual cues: People with CAPD may benefit from using visual cues, such as lip reading or facial expressions, to help them understand speech.
  • Sitting in a quiet location: People with CAPD may find it easier to understand speech in a quiet location.
  • Asking for repetition: People with CAPD may need to ask for repetition of speech, especially in noisy environments.
  • Using assistive listening devices: Assistive listening devices, such as hearing aids or FM systems, can help people with CAPD hear better.
  • Speech and language therapy: Speech and language therapy can help people with CAPD develop their auditory processing skills.