Synopses & Reviews
In this landmark book, Dr. Teri James Bellis, one of the world's leading authorities on auditory processing disorder (APD), explains the nature of this devastating condition and provides insightful case studies that illustrate its effect on the lives of its sufferers.
Millions of Americans struggle silently with APD. For many of them, holding a simple conversation can be next to impossible. As sound travels through an imperfect auditory pathway, words become jumbled, distorted, and unintelligible. As Dr. Bellis notes, the most profound impact of this highly specific impediment to auditory comprehension may be on the young. Facing a severely reduced ability to read, spell, comprehend, and communicate, children with APD are subject to anxiety, academic failure, and a damaged sense of self. Often, they are misdiagnosed.
Discussing the latest and most promising clinical advances and treatment options, and providing a host of proven strategies for coping, Dr. Bellis takes much of the mystery out of APD. If you or anyone you know has difficulty comprehending spoken language, or if your child is struggling in school, this important book may have the answers you need.
Synopsis
Millions of Americans have difficulty understanding spoken language.
They're not deaf, autistic, or slow. They have APD.
APD has been called the auditory equivalent of dyslexia, and its debilitatiting effects cross all ages, genders, and races. APD can cause children to fail in school and adults to suffer socially and in their careers, but until now, there has been little information available.
Written by Dr. Teri James Bellis, one of the world's foremost authorities on APD, this is the first book on the subject that is completely accessible to the public. Through helpful checklists and case studies, you'll finally discover the answers you need, as well as proven strategies for living with APD. Comprehensive and powerfully prescriptive, this book contains vital information for anyone who suffers from this serious disorder.
When the Brain Can't Hear
gives you all the latest information:
What is APD? how APD affects children APD in adults diagnosis and testing treatment options living successfully with APD memory enhancement and other coping techniques About the Author
Teri James Bellis, Ph.d., is a professor of audiology at the University of South Dakota and the author of the authoritative text for professionals on the diagnosis and treatment of APD. Ironically, she herself became the victim of adult-onset APD as the result of head trauma suffered in a car accident.
Her writing has been featured in numerous medical and academic publications, including the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience. She lives in South Dakota.
Table of Contents
CONTENTS
PREFACE Walking a Mile in Their Shoes
1 The Many Faces of APD
Clay: Severe APD in a Preschooler
Larry: Mild APD in an Adult
Jason: Right-Hemisphere Disorder and APD
Evelyn: APD in the Elderly
If a Tree Falls in the Forest: Debating the Existence of APD
2 Learning, Language, and Auditory Processing
A Is for Apple: Auditory Processing and Spelling
See Spot Run: Auditory Processing and Reading
There's a Bathroom on the Right: Auditory Processing and Receptive Language
The Rain in Spain: Auditory Processing and Speech Production
How Long Is the Diving Board? Auditory Processingand Problem-Solving
Make New Friends: Auditory Processing andSocialization
3 APD in Children
Shake, Rattle, and Roll: APD in Infants and Toddlers
Building Blocks: APD and the Preschool Child
Show-and-Tell: APD in Elementary School
Prom Night: APD in Middle and High School
Rush Week: APD at College
4 APD in Adults
He Never Listens Anymore: APD in Middle-Aged Men
I Just Can't Say Anything Right: APD in Postmenopausal Women
Everybody's Mumbling at Me: APD in the Elderly
5 Diagnosing APD
Why You Need to Be Tested for APD
Here's What You Need to Do
The Diagnostic Journey: Here's What Will Happen
Tools of the Trade: Diagnostic Tests for APD
The Language, Learning, and Communication Puzzle
Assessing the Whole Person
Disassembly Required: Analyzing Areas of Weakness
Integrating Test Results
Different Types of APD
When a Listening Problem Is Not APD
6 Treating APD
The Grieving Process
Basic Principles of APD Management
All the World's a Stage: Environmental Modifications at School
Thinking outside the Box: Environmental Modifications at Work
Where They Have to Take You In: Environmental Modifications at Home
Training the Brain: Therapy Activities for APD
7 Living with APD
Taking the Initiative: Becoming an Active Listener
Operating on a Higher Plane: Metacognitive and Metalinguistic Strategies
Put It in Writing: Memory Enhancement Techniques
What I Want to Be When I Grow Up: Making Realistic Life Choices
It Takes a Village: Resources for Children and Adults with APD