How we assess and test you or your child for APD

We start with an assessment meeting to discuss your personal audiological history and specific hearing difficulties.  Two questionnaires are completed to provide information, assist in diagnosis and establish if APD testing is going to be beneficial.  

If indicated, we then book a time to administer the testing. This consists of three tests under headphones and takes about 30-45 minutes.  From these results, a report and personalised therapy program can be created.  

• Step 1 Assessment Meeting: Interview and two questionnaires

• Step 2 Testing: 3 tests under headphones lasting 30-45 minutes

• Step 3 Reporting: Auditory report supplied to you and if required, a letter to your

  teacher/coach/employer/GP

• Step 4 Therapy Plan: Your personalised therapy plan begins.

The Buffalo Model

At Auditory Processing Services we use the Buffalo Model developed by Dr Jack Katz, Ph.D. for diagnosing and treating auditory processing issues. We assess clients (from age 3 years and 6 months) on the degree to which they deviate from the norms on 3 listening tests (words in noise/quiet, dichotic listening, and the phonemic synthesis test).

The tests measure a person's performance in 4 categories:

• Decoding: the ability to process phonemes quickly and accurately

• Tolerance-Fading Memory: the ability to understand speech while in competing noise and the necessary short-term memory capacity to do so.

• Organisation: the ability to organise and store orally presented information in the brain.

• Integration: the ability for the left and right hemispheres of the brain to communicate.