Auditory Processing Disorder Therapy | Dixon & Solano County

Expert APD therapy for children who struggle to make sense of sounds. ASHA-certified speech-language pathologists serving Dixon, Vacaville, and Davis.

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Stacey Cames, CCC-SLPStacey Cames, CCC-SLP · 20+ Years · 500+ Families

What is Auditory Processing Disorder?

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD), is a condition where a child's ears work normally, but their brain has trouble making sense of what they hear. It's not a hearing problem—it's a processing problem.

Children with APD often struggle with following directions, learning in noisy environments like classrooms, and developing reading skills. The sounds reach their ears just fine, but the brain struggles to interpret and organize that auditory information effectively.

Early intervention with specialized auditory processing disorder therapy can make a significant difference in your child's academic success and daily communication.

Signs Your Child May Have APD

Frequent "What?" or "Huh?"

Your child constantly asks you to repeat yourself, even when there's no background noise and they're paying attention.

Trouble in Noisy Settings

Classrooms, cafeterias, and group activities are especially challenging. Background noise makes it nearly impossible to focus on the teacher or conversation.

Difficulty Following Multi-Step Directions

Instructions like "Put away your backpack, wash your hands, and come to the table" get lost or confused partway through.

Reading and Spelling Challenges

Struggles with phonics, decoding words, and spelling. APD affects the ability to distinguish between similar sounds in words.

Mishears Similar-Sounding Words

Confuses words that sound alike (e.g., "cap" and "gap," "thick" and "sick") leading to misunderstandings in conversations and schoolwork.

Easily Distracted by Background Noise

Has trouble filtering out irrelevant sounds. A pencil dropping or hallway chatter can completely derail their focus.

Our Approach to APD Therapy

At Speech Therapy Consulting Inc., we use evidence-based techniques to help children with central auditory processing disorder develop stronger listening skills and succeed in school and social situations.

Auditory Training

Structured exercises to strengthen your child's ability to discriminate sounds, remember auditory information, and process speech in challenging listening environments.

Compensatory Strategies

Teaching practical skills like using visual cues, requesting repetition appropriately, and self-advocacy techniques to succeed despite processing challenges.

Classroom Accommodations

Guidance for teachers on preferential seating, reducing background noise, providing written instructions, and other modifications that help your child learn effectively.

Parent/Teacher Collaboration

We work closely with families and educators to ensure strategies are consistent across all environments where your child learns and communicates.

Suspect Your Child Has Auditory Processing Difficulties?

Our ASHA-certified specialists can evaluate your child and create a customized treatment plan.

The Link Between APD and Reading Difficulties

Research shows that auditory processing disorder often co-occurs with reading difficulties. This makes sense—reading requires the ability to hear and distinguish the individual sounds (phonemes) in words.

Children with APD may struggle with:

  • Phonemic awareness (recognizing that "cat" has three sounds: /k/ /a/ /t/)
  • Phonics and decoding unfamiliar words
  • Spelling, especially with similar-sounding words
  • Reading comprehension, particularly when they misread key words

Our APD therapy addresses these foundational auditory skills, which often leads to improvements in reading performance. We coordinate with reading specialists and teachers to provide comprehensive support.

Insurance & Getting Started

We accept most major insurance plans and are happy to verify your coverage. Our team will work with you to understand your benefits and any out-of-pocket costs.

Insurance We Accept

We work with most major insurance providers. Call us at (707) 366-5246 to verify your specific plan and coverage for auditory processing disorder therapy.

Getting Started is Easy

Call (707) 366-5246 to schedule an initial evaluation. We'll assess your child's auditory processing skills and create a customized treatment plan. Same-week appointments often available.

Frequently Asked Questions About APD

APD is typically diagnosed by an audiologist through a comprehensive battery of specialized tests that assess how the brain processes sound. These tests evaluate skills like auditory discrimination, temporal processing, and listening in background noise. The evaluation is usually conducted on children age 7 and older. As speech-language pathologists, we work closely with audiologists and can provide functional assessments of auditory processing skills and refer for formal diagnostic testing when appropriate.
APD and ADHD can look similar because both affect attention and following directions, but they have different root causes. ADHD is primarily an attention regulation disorder affecting focus, impulse control, and organization across all tasks. APD specifically affects how the brain processes auditory information—children with APD may have excellent attention for visual tasks but struggle specifically with listening tasks. Some children have both conditions. A thorough evaluation by qualified professionals can help determine what's contributing to your child's challenges.
While APD is typically a lifelong condition, therapy can make a tremendous difference. With targeted intervention, children can develop stronger auditory processing skills, learn effective compensatory strategies, and receive accommodations that help them succeed academically and socially. Many children with APD who receive appropriate support go on to thrive in school and beyond. The brain has remarkable plasticity, especially during childhood, making early intervention particularly valuable.
Effective accommodations include: preferential seating near the teacher and away from noise sources (like air vents or hallway doors), reducing background noise when possible, providing written instructions alongside verbal ones, giving extra time to process auditory information, using visual supports and demonstrations, allowing the child to repeat instructions back to ensure understanding, and using assistive technology like FM systems that transmit the teacher's voice directly to the child's ear. We work with your child's school to implement these accommodations through IEPs or 504 plans.

Related Conditions

Other speech and language support we provide

Language Delays

Expressive and receptive language differences that affect communication and learning.

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Literacy & Reading Support

Connecting speech-language skills to reading, writing, and academic success.

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Articulation Therapy

Helping children pronounce sounds and words clearly so others can understand them.

Learn More

Ready to Help Your Child Process Sounds More Effectively?

Our ASHA-certified speech-language pathologists specialize in auditory processing disorder therapy and can help your child succeed in school and everyday communication.

  • Free initial consultation
  • Most insurance accepted
  • Evidence-based APD treatment
  • Same-week appointments available

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