ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 พ.ย. 2024
- My daily experience in having APD.
I was diagnosed at 16 when I started to notice more and more that I was struggling to hear in class and in social settings. There are great resources out there that talk about the symptoms and tells of APD, but I believe there is a severe lack of real people telling there stories and being advocates for raising awareness and supporting others.
I want to be that person.
Comment below or email me at megschanes@gmail.com to discuss any aspect about APD, dyslexia, or both. I'm happy to talk about whatever questions, comments, or concerns you may have.
Have a topic you want me to discuss? Shoot me a message :)
Valuable resources:
www.asha.org/p...
www.ncbi.nlm.n...
www.audiologyo...
FIND ME:
Insta:
@meg_scha
@megkaphotos
YT:
Room 15
What If? (podcast)
A sincere thank you for taking the time to learn more about APD.
![SAFEPLANET - ดาวเคราะห์ [ THE PLANET ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4X1XL3I_k3c/mqdefault.jpg)
People get so frustrated when i say 'huh' or 'what'. I'm pretty sure I was overlooked for a job because of it. Of all things it was a phone interview. I lied and said my cell was breaking up so that she could repeat herself. SMH And I kept forgetting what question she asked me while trying to answer the question! After my first sentence I would go blank. My brain is awesome.
Same here n I get called retarded
@@goofymania84 That's why I never mention it because ignorant people start treating me like I'm disabled. It's really embarrassing.
@@odinsavenger4965 I know the feeling and it's hard 😥😥
@@odinsavenger4965 n it's also hard for me to hide my disability when people can see it through me 😡😫😥
@@odinsavenger4965 This is exactly how I feel and I've lost count in the last 11 years how many times my supervisor confronts me and keeps saying, "what is wrong with you, why don't you ever listen"....I just freeze up and put my head down.
I have been struggling with APD for years and no one ever understands. I’m glad I’m not alone. Thank you for your video.
I have also APD because from a stroke… and yes It’s so hard to recovery a brain damage 😢
I get it. I wish I didn't but I definitely do and you are not suffering alone.
I have APD, and how you described it is pretty spot on. I have the bad habit of pretending I understand what a person just said after I’ve already asked them to repeat themselves two to three times. I know people are impatient with me sometimes and I try not to annoy people too much. I hate loud places like nightclubs, parties etc because I can’t hear a single word of what my friends are saying. Even busy shopping centres and food courts make it hard for me.
I just nod my head like i understood everything after asking them to repeat the third time because you are only allowed to ask them to repeat not more than 3 times acc to universal rules. Turns out they ask abouy why you didn't do this/that or something like that!! And i am just saying yes, Lol
@@Gurkiratsingh. I too struggles with this
I either laugh or agree and hope it wasn’t anything important when I asked them a few times and still don’t know what there saying. Definitely had some awkward moments though
My APD's caused a few issues working in fast food... those headsets can really suck. I've messed up a couple orders, and it makes me feel stupid sometimes. But I just have to get over it and move forward, even when I'm majorly embarrassed.
@@lauragrace5622 I don’t even try finding work in fast food because that shit is so stressful for me! Especially when coworkers shout orders at me with all that background noise. I’m pretty sure I have some ptsd from when I did some work placements at fast food establishments.
I also have APD and this is exactly how I hear things. It's really loud because my hearing is better than normal, as well as being very jumbled. People tend to get annoyed if you misinterpret all of their jumbled sounds.
I have APD as well
Best way I can explain APD is that my brain is constantly playing a game of Telephone. I hear one thing, but by the time it gets processed, it's completely different
I have an auditory processing disorder too and I love that you added subtitles! I have definitely had that awkward "oops I got it wrong" experience a million times over! Lol once my mom asked me to pass her a napkin at the dinner table and I stood up and fetched a knife. The looks on everyone's faces you would not believe! I try make light of it and have a laugh when it happens. Good luck to you!
hi, my son has just been diagnosed with APD. On your example about the napking if I could ask u a question, did u pass a knife and not the napking because thats what you thought you heard or because you werent sure what you were asked for nut knew you had to pass something and just took a lucky guess. Thanks if you are able to answer, Im just trying to understand.
@@lylianmunoz3856 Hi there! In that specific case, I remember hearing the word "knife" quite clearly, but there was also a lot of context that would have lead my brain to that conclusion quite quickly rather than me actually /hearing/ the word knife. Sometimes I will be sure I heard something that I know could not have been said, because it makes absolutely no sense. When it's not clear that it's nonsense, it can cause trouble like the knife situation. Other times I can't quite tell what's been said so I make my best guess (which can also lead to embarrassing moments). Often it's just like hearing a record playing backwards (not a great description but the best I can think of), and it takes me a few extra seconds to decode the message before I understand what I just heard properly. I was kind of left to come up with my own strategies and solutions for dealing with it as a kid, but understanding that I have an auditory processing disorder in the first place was a huge help and a big weight off of my shoulders (it's not my fault! I'm not stupid!). Nowadays it doesn't majorly affect my daily life, though some moments are tougher than others. I think it's wonderful that you're trying to understand and help your son! Good luck to you both!
The subtitles were so helpful o just read them the whole time
@@lylianmunoz3856 typically it’s that you don’t know what they said and your forced to use context clues and higher order therapy to guess what you said.
I nearly cried OUT OF JOY because you described it exactly as I feel and how life is.
I'm 37 now and I've always felt so alone.
I have autism and ADHD too which makes things even more chaotic, but at least I don't feel so bad when I struggle now.
Thank you❤️
Are there any medications for these disabilities? i'm 29 year old trainee electrician and I'm having very hard time with work and people.
School with APD is a PAIN.
1) Talking during writing/reading tasks
I'm unable to read the excercise text or construct sentences with strong audio interference.
2) Random missed/incorrectly heard information
Teacher dictating me sentences and, worst of all, numbers is a confusion ready to happen.
3) Social interaction in a loud environment
I've already given up on joining conversations in the canteen or busy hall.
Glad there are people like me. My college days were really rough. I had to sit way in the front to be able to hear the professor clear. Even that was a struggle.
I had a teacher go against my IEP. ( he thought I didn't need it🙄) he would always try to put me in the back of the class
True story...
Mum: "Oh. I'm all out of panty liners."
Me: "You can use some of mine."
Mum: "WH-- I DON'T LIKE YOURS!"
Me: "WELL WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM!"
Mum: "Y- WH-- Wait. What did you think I just said?"
Me: "You-- you said you were all out of panty liners."
Mum: "AHHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Me: "Well, wh... what... /did/ you say?"
Mum: "I said... hahaha... I was all out of CANDY bars."
Me: "But... you... don't like my candy bars."
Mum: "I KNOW!"
Me: "OH!!! So you thought-- AHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
When Mum finally asked me, 22, what CAPD meant to me... I explained that it's misheard song lyrics all the time. We have a conversation about rabbits. A week later, we converse about The Lord Of The Rings. Five minutes later, she asks, "Djoos eethar vrbitsn duyarn?" Say what? Dyoos, did you... s... eethar... see? see. thar, the? Did you see the. vrbitsn? Verbatim? Tidbits? Cubits? Virile bits? (this goes on a while) Hobbits? We were just discussing hobbits. Ok. Did you see the hobbits in duyart. The yarn? The yard? "Did I see the hobbits in the yard?!" "What? NO! The hobbits!" I think back to the week before. Last week we were talking about rabbits in the yard... "Rabbits?" "YES! What the heck did you think I meant? Hobbits? Zheezh! Why would hobbits be in the yard?!"
She was quiet for a long time and finally said, "You're even smarter than I realised. I don't think I could go through all those words and context that fast. I'm sorry I'm impatient. I had no idea."
We rock. :) I'm now 42 and have basically sworn off meetings, crowded places, loud parties, shadowed faces, and any place with any congestion whatsoever. And when someone looks at me funny, I just go, "CAPD. No idea." "Huh?" "Exactly. Now you understand." I joke about it. I explain it. And when I'm tired, I simply refuse to deal with it and tell people to email me. I cannot *imagine* having this with dyslexia to boot. Meg, you're even smarter than I am to keep up with all of that, too. No words. Thank you for thinking to explain this from our perspective for a change.
@jackie well what doy out hear?? Yanny or Laurel
Man I get into so many goofy conversations because of stuff like this. Sometimes when I say the wrong thing with my family they'll think I don't care or not listening. But it sounds like they speaking fast gibberish that I cant keep up with it.
Wow! Powerful video and excellent description of APD! I know many teachers that would benefit from viewing this! Thank you for being brave enough and creative enough to share this important message!
I was diagnosed with apd from such a young age no one believes me when I say I do it’s really tough and it can be really embarrassing I try so hard to not cry at work and school I always disappoint everyone because at work they would tell me to go and do this and I do something completely different and it really breaks my heart when people start to get mad at me I also have dyslexia and dyspraxia
I'm so sorry :( you don't have to feel bad you are enough, if your friends and coworkers and loved ones are getting annoyed at you because of that, explain your APD to them, they can always be a little patient when they understand ur situation.
it's not your fault
if u explain to them that if 1. the environment is quiet and 2. they take their time speaking clearly and 3. give instructions one by one and carefully and 4. give you time to decipher and confirm what you heard then you'll be fine
I was diagnosed at the age of 3 but also found out in the 7th grade I have a form of dyslexia
It’s all coming full circle for me. The frequent ear infections when i was younger, the sensitivity to sound, always asking people to repeat themselves, and taking 30 fricking seconds to understand what just came out someone’s mouth.
Thank you for your bravery posting this video and telling your story, by the end, my eyes were watering. I am 48 years old and just finding out there is a name to this problem. I dropped out of college because I didn't know what to do and my parents always told me "there's nothing wrong with you, it's all in your head". I am now struggling how to deal with it as there is more information to deal with APD in children than there is for adults.
Same here. I'm 46
I just found out today that this IS A THING!!! I'm 52 and never could get people to understand why my brain wasn't "connecting the dots". Because reality said (and showed) that the "dots" were all there.
My go to lines:
1) I heard you. I just don't understand what you said.
2) Can you say it again in a different way?
3) What? Yeah... Uh huh! Sure... Excuse me? Wait what??? 😟🥺
I'm so thankful for happening upon this video.👍🏾💟
I am also 48 years old and just recently diagnosed APD!! I am happy I am not alone.
I am 48 years old. I recently diagnosed APD. Thank you so much for making this video. I need to accepted this and move forward with all of you. I am happy I am not alone.
I have autism, and processing auditory stimulus can be really hard for me to do. I relate to what you’ve said a lot.
This is so relatable it's unsettling 😱 all thesz times I completely misunderstood people and responded inappropriately, I figured I was either partly deaf (but I didn't think so) or just plain stupid. I should get checked for APD, thanks for sharing your story!
My twin sister and I were born prematurely had a hearing and speech delays. We always knew we had something since we were in special ed. When were in private school, we got tested it was unclear what we had. In middle school and high school, helped us figure out what we had chronic auditory processing disorder. We read lips too. It is hard not to understand what is going on or feeling out of place in big room of people.
As someone who has APD, Autism, and dsylexia, thank u for making this video. I work in retail. And I have some customers who get mad at me if I dont understand them.
That's why I need to get like a first grade level job.
Thanks for not having background music on this video. Dyslexia for your ears. Exactly!
I have and struggle with ADP to. It's a struggle and a challenge to live with everyday of my life.
I was diagnosed when I was a child, and I still have it in adulthood, it's hard to try and talk to people, they get mad at me for not understanding them and then I get frustrated, especially if I can't see and read their lips
How did you deal with everyone wearing masks?
@@MsBluebot well I work in a grocery store so I had people show me what they wanted help with to find on their phones, if not for that I would ask them to speak again and play charades. It's really hard
Thank you so much for making this video, "..dyslexia for your ears.." absolutely know what you're talking about. In my 50s, undiagnosed.. have been an Advocate with Disabled People. Have always been an observer. Saw an audiologist. Where I learned, "we hear with our brain". Dr refused to discuss APD. I was handed hearing aids , told , "I'm missing pitches(some), and have Tinnitus" , going to keep learning. Thank you again for this video.
Meg, you are my hero. How very brave of you to do this video. Thank you for continuing to teach our family what perseverance truly looks like. You are loved, and I cannot wait to see all that you do with your artistic talents in college!
Thank you for putting into words… what we here. I have brain damage due to ischemic cerebral strokes and this is what I have been dealing with. This is new for me and trying to have people understand what I am understanding is difficult. You nailed it on the head! Hearts❤
Thank you.
I'm 26 and I've just been diagnosed with APD. I'm so frustrated because in middle school, high school, and in college, I took reading comprehension classes and not one teacher was like maybe you have a learning disability. I finally sought out a speed therapist because I wanted to work on my speaking voice and through evaluation so many other issues popped out. I felt vulnerable and exposed. I felt like I was back in middle school feeling dumb when I couldn't follow sequences. I hope I can make progress here.
I have just learned about APD , I'm 25 and THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH MY HOLE LIFE!! the way That you did the jumbled up voice!! THATS EXACTLY WHAT I HEAR! OMG thank you so much for all your work editing and making this video!!
Omg thank you for sharing!!! I have this too and for the longest time people called me slow, blonde, dumb, or accused me of being inattentive. It is absolutely a relief to hear from someone who experiences this like I do! 💜💕
I know the struggle and it drives me to depression 😥
It’s a real struggle. It’s so easy to feel stupid, I know the feeling. People will sometimes jokingly ask me if I have blonde roots because I have brown hair. Even though it’s meant to be a joke, it embarrasses me.
thanks so much for this. i’ve vaguely known since i was young that i’ve had this but now that i’m working in a fast-paced environment, it’s becoming really apparent. i actually felt so validated when you said that it was like dyslexia but with listening-finally a way to explain it!
I have always explained it as a disconnection from my ears to my brain but Dyslexia is the best way to describe it
I have apd too and this is what it is like but apd also plays a funny role in my everyday life. Like my friends will be talking to me, I won't understand and I'll say to them, "did you just say wheres the fish biscuits (or whatever I miss heard)" and then it becomes a kind of inside joke, like one time my friends said she dropped her hat in the gutter, and then I didn't understand what she said after that, I thought she said I just lost my hat in the gutter and it got stolen by a gold fish. Apd is so fun, even if I don't know what the hell the teacher said to me and now I'm confused
Lol!! Ditto. Just last night my husband walked ahead of me and mumbled. I couldn't see his face so I repeated what I heard. First, he asks, "What?" Because he had this also and wasn't facing me. Then when he verified HE had heard correctly, he frowned, shook his head, turned away again, and repeated what I heard. I repeated again. He finally turns enough for me to hear differently and I gleaned just enough to catch the meaning if not precise words. Don't remember what it was now, but it was kind of funny, and surprisingly close to what he actually said!
!!!! That was me!!! I had chronic ear infections, profoundly deaf till I was three. I had no idea other people experienced this. I'm so happy I'm not just dumb, honestly.
Thank you for sharing this was a perfect explanation for living with APD. It’s so difficult to live this way and explaining harder but I hope people can begin to understand.
I've gotten into the habit of reading lips. My biggest problem is following detailed instructions/directions. I'll remember 2 steps & then the rest goes out the window. I recently took a course & the professor expected us to perform a skill by the end of the class. I could only recall 2-3 steps. I felt so embarrassed. The professor from then on talked down to me like I was a child. I explained to him at the end of the course that in other courses I've taken, the instructor usually provides us the skills ahead of time so that we can prepare. I don't do well on the spot. That's not how I learn. He seemed to understand better, but I'll never forget how he treated me.
I'm really sorry! What a jackass! I take a lot of science classes & I'm so happy that we can read and study up on the labs ahead of time. I only had one course where the professor didn't follow any lab directions stated in the book. I struggled. I had to speak up because I was worried about my grade. Luckily, he wrote the directions on the board for me.
Omg I feel like crying... I haven't been diagnosed but the video and the comments just resonate with my own experience. I'm 28, soon-to-be 29, and I had constant ear infections as a baby. Throughout my whole life, I've always needed movies to be louder than everyone else, which got me the comment "are you deaf or what?" quite often. I can hear the sounds but it just requires a tremendous effort to understand, which is not what you want when you're trying to relax and enjoy a movie. Or I'll need subtitles sometimes. On a daily basis, especially when there's surrounding noise, I can't understand what someone is saying to me or thought I did but realise I didn't, but sometimes I'm too embarrassed to ask again, especially at work. Makes me feel like an idiot, like why can't I understand while everyone else can??? Or I'll misunderstand what someone said and reply something that has nothing to do with it and get a weird reaction from them. Then starts the overthinking if this conversation was with a stranger... And also, someone will explain some tasks at work or whatever and I'll think I understood but I just can't retain the info. Makes me feel like a total idiot compared to everyone else. I can't believe my parents never got me diagnosed 🤣🤣🤣 I've just realised in the last 2 weeks that this is what I might be suffering from because my new partner pointed it out. Feels like a revelation! But it's sad that it can't be cured cause it's challenging.
Thank you for posting! So helpful! My son has APD. The way you stand with your hands and smile while people are talking to looks exactly like what my son does. Thank you for helping to understand his perspective better.
I got my APD from a brain injury. Everyone thinks I'm aloof and anti-social because I generally don't want to talk to anyone. I stay mostly isolated because of it and I just don't care anymore. People can think whatever they like about me as long as they leave me alone. I don't hate humans, I just only have about 5 that I actually want to talk to, aside from my doctors and people who feed me or feed me ice cream. I'm as simple as it gets. I struggle with you.
Thankyou for making this video, very relateable. I Was diagnosed with APD in 6th grade. It makes things hard, i type slowly, read slowly, typically have to ask others to repeat what they are saying, but it won't stop us from accomplishing our goals.
My wife has sent me in for hearing test twice now. Both times my hearing is "fine for your age". This time the doctor mentioned that sometimes the problem is a translation issue in the brain instead of a hearing issue. The fact that I am dyslexic, made me think that this information sounds suspiciously similar to what I deal with when reading. So I look it up, and I see your video and your example situation. A situation that I have lived countless times. In addition to context clues though, I tend to listen to how many syllables there are, and what might rhyme with what I heard and make since. Just like you said, though this takes a little time. Most people think that I am thinking of the answer instead of just trying to piece out what was said. I think the worst is, is when I ask someone to repeat what they said, and instead they just explain what they mean. Which for me is an explanation out of context since I still don't know what was actually said in the first place. Thank you for the video. I have much to research and think about.
That's sooo accurate. And so relatable 😭😔😔. I just realized today that what i have been searching for ages now this condition is known as something and is real , I thought i am just hearing disabled or have dyslexia as i am not able to understand simple sentences. I am always afraid of using any ear gadgets as i thought they would make me deaf but that's not the case. This is accompanied with ADHD.
Here is one out of millions of example
I with my family visited my aunt and uncle to have dinner with them at a restaurant, uncle asked me enthusiastically about the driver's attitude and his name, guess what i thought he was asking me my name!!! Which i completely knew he is aware of(but there are always uncles who ask your name whenever you meet them ,i thought he was just kidding)I replied with the same so nervously but loudly. Everyone started to laugh at me ,this was one of the times i failed miserably to decipher. He asked other things as well which i completely missed. Lol on me. The thing is now i have answers that why my friends used to call the 'what guy'
Oh this thing!!
Me too. I realised two days ago
It's a relief to find out this is actually a thing
We never had the ear infections but doctors would argue with me that they had to have had them due to the quality of their developing speech. I'd tell them to check the kids files, and they would sometimes apologize but admit all 3 kids speech sounded just like someone with hearing loss and since their hearing was fine they just assumed they had ear infections. Lots of frustration with many not listening to the individual or parent.
I think I have APD. Your video described exactly what I experience when people talk to me. It's so embarrassing. I avoid social interactions because of it. I only just recently heard of APD. I always thought I was a weirdo with how my ears garbled things. It's good to know I'm not alone and that this is a real condition. It explains so much.
You've captured my life so perfectly; I'll never forget when my boss (who wasn't facing me at the moment) was asking me about filing taxes, and I thought he'd inquired if I'd ever been to Texas... super awkward....
My dad also installed a very loud fan in our bathroom and it makes me cringe; I keep turning it off and on when I go by it. I get seriously tense from loud things like that.
Thank you for the video Beautiful girl ! I just discovered it. My son is 8 1/2 and is on the spectrum but it’s mainly APD. It’s really good to see some people in their teens that understand the challenge they have, can explain it so well, and also don’t mind putting it out there so that we can use it to educate friends and family so that they know that kids with APD are not trying to be difficult - they are having difficulty.
I also have APD. These sound exactly like me
The analogy I use is its like if you play two or more TH-cam videos at the same time. It just sounds all jumbled and you can't tell what any of them are saying. It's just noise, not English.
Thank you for sharing this video! I myself have an Auditory Processing Disorder as well. I can understand how you feel. I know for me I feel like it is a downside for me and I have struggled with APD my whole life till now, but I am trying to positive as possible with it and leaning to improving on my communication everyday. Thank you again for sharing! I am rooting for you too as well!
I, too, suffer from a central auditory disorder, but was not diagnosed until age 30. I have always had really good language and reading skills, but have always struggled with tho same sxperiences you have. I now have to take into account a mild to moderate hearing loss as I age. This has made coping mochanisms ever more important and mentally draining. Thanks for this awesome video. It is so 'spot on'!
This was, perhaps, the best explanation on anything I have ever heard. I am a 30 yo Male with this issue, this exact ISSUE! I’ve only ever started actually putting the pieces together though I’ve been diagnosed with CAPD at a very young age. I currently do this with friends, they don’t get it but it’s fine, they don’t care. But thank you for putting your story out there and showing the rest of us that we are not alone. Thank you.
Thank you so much for making this video. A year ago, when I was 26 years old I was diagnosed with APD. Certain things you mention, I can relate to.
I think this is a really amazing insight into how you process information and how you cope. I will be sharing this with Teaching Professionals that i work with as a Speech and Language Therapist.... Wow
Oh my sweet girl!!! I’m crying!! My 7 year old has APD and it’s not from infections and I think she has more going on like ADHD but up until 6 1/2-7 years old she had selective mutism.. and still struggles with it but gets so excited when she has the “bravery” to say thank you when some one says her hair looks nice.... she is so smart and funny and witty and loves so many things.. like math.. it’s her favorite subject and she can’t do it.... it’s like you do a problem with her and the next problem she’s had a memory wipe and has no idea what to do... I hate this for her...
Very well explained!! I have dyslexia as well as Apd, but have definitely found Apd a much harder path to walk through life my past 61 years.
I noticed at work that I literally don't understand words if im not 100% focused on the other person talking from beginning to end. Luckily my manager somehow realized I am struggling and he adopted the policy to say every instruction exactly twice. This made me be able to keep up with the stress of the otherwise fast-paced working environment. It was only today I realized there is a name for this struggle and that im not alone with it. Thank you for speaking up on this matter, it made me more confident!
I didn't realize I had APD until I reached my 40's. Looking back at the coping mechanisms I've used kinda make me laugh now. Staring at someone's lips to try to lip read, pausing or muting music or the TV when being spoken to....only for them to get upset because they think I am bothered by them....but in actuality I am just trying to be respectful and care about what they are trying to tell me. And of course the quick "what?" when someone says something to me while I'm doing something else....all the time. Sometimes it just takes a few seconds and I can remember the sounds and put them together and realize what they said....sometimes not. With that all said, I am very successful in my careers, have served in the Military, own my own business, am the Father of 4 and feel pretty darn good. APD is a pain. But knowing what the issue actually is and developing a communication style that works for us makes this very manageable over time.
20 out of 10 - thank you for making this video my friends and I always laugh at my « deafness » but like ... seeing videos like this is really comforting to see other people coping and making it through everyday situations (even if we struggle)
I have autism and APD
I do not comprehend when others speak or when I read.
Kudos to you for sharing your story about APD. I can relate to this as I also have Auditory Processing Disorder. I have been diagnosed with it at the age of 7, and I know the struggles of trying to comprehend auditory signals, especially since I am also hard of hearing and I wear two hearing aids
I know the issue as well, but I haven't tried to diagnose it so far.
My auditory processing problems aren't as severe as this, but I hate parties or other crowded talk environments and I am constantly distracted by all the noise (sometimes even small ones) and it's so often that I awkwardly nod or agree or don't say anything in a conversation just to appear like I understand. Even in somewhat quiet settings I tend to always need to ask follow-up questions like "So, can you please repeat that last part?" or I need to summarize everything again and ask if I got it correctly, even though I work very hard to listen to people. I also need to ask a lot of questions that are embarrassing because I know that the topic was just discussed, but I just didn't get what was said even though I worked hard to listen. It's really bad in public work environments, people can think I am an idiot or refuse to listen and I was fired from a few jobs because I just couldn't understand verbal instructions well and made a lot of mistakes based on that lack of information. That's why I only follow written or visual instructions well, especially in quiet or sensorily low-intensity environments. I also had huge issues in school, I was rarely ever able to understand verbal homework instructions because those were always given to us at the end of the lesson when the other children were getting louder, packing their bags and starting to talk, and the homework instructions always involved very minute details such as "page 54" and I got the "page" part, but not the exact number and that was important. I was sometimes able to ask other students, but as it was very embarrassing and I had hardly any friends, I rarely ever asked for fear of looking stupid. In the end the whole thing was so frustrating that I just gave up about homework, even though I always felt guilty about it, but I didn't know what else to do other than working hard in other aspects.
I avoid noisy public settings at all costs, I only talk to one or two people in quiet environments and I love texting because I can understand everything that way.
I tend to be better if I am able to write things down right away, bit by bit, so I'm very glad if I am at my laptop keyboard and able to write a word document on what I just heard (I'm one of the fastest typists that you have ever met). In fact writing something down in real time is easier for understanding what was said than listening and writing it down afterwards. Every important phone call gets a word document or else I can't get much of what the other speaker said.
Honestly, I was always embarrassed of this, but I never considered it a real "thing", I just tried to make the best of it instead of trying to find accommodations for it. Some people considered me rude or inconsiderate because I had so much trouble listening to them, but I never tried to give myself some slack by trying to get diagnosed for this. My ex left me in part because she felt I didn't listen and that I therefore didn't care about her... which was the opposite of how I felt... It felt like a big misunderstanding that haunts me to this day.
You explained ADP exceptionally what we go through daily. I been diagnosed with CAPD when I was 3 years old. I had terrible ear infections, especially in the left ear when I was a baby. My mother and father are educators, both have help me to be where I am today. My father got his masters in leadership and management. My mother got her PhD in special education and Autism in-dedication for my brother and I. Having CAPD always seems like a shadow that hovers over oneself when conjugating with peers and employers. Always trying to keep up and work twice has hard in a day. I love that their are people who know what we all go through with ADP. Also a thank you to the people who understand us when the others couldn’t. Never give up and shoot for the stars 🌟
I don't think APD and dyslexia are separate. It's how our brains process information. Listening to supervisors and manager give you verbal instructions can be very challenging trying to get it right without seeming stupid at the same time and I always have to have things repeated. Reading emails or instructions quickly too can be challenging because everything gets scrambled in my head.
This is totally how I hear things. I get social anxiety a bit because I know I won’t be able to “hear” people and respond appropriately. I’m constantly asking people to repeat themselves. One of my best friends is Pakistani with a really thick accent, and she also has ADHD. She talks loudly and rapidly, and switches sentences and context in the middle of saying something. It is SO HARD to understand her, especially on the phone. It is like getting verbal whiplash. I love her and try to understand her, I ask her to slow down sometimes. She tries to remember that I process slower than others. I have done neuropsych testing, but they only came up with ADHD for me. But I think I have APD, and my son, too. I think I only understand 10% of a conversation, the rest is just me mimicking conversation faces and sounds to make it seem like I am participating in the conversation. I just try to keep up. I am so glad I have a natural ability to recognize patterns, because I would misinterpret a lot more often. One of the tools I use is to repeat the sounds I just heard back to the person, like it is a question. They get the chance to correct me, but it also cues them to speak slower or more clearly. I only get a couple chances to use that before it gets frustrating to the other person, and I need to switch strategies. This is usually when I admit I process words a little slower and make a joke. It really helps just being honest with someone. Sometimes I get sad when I try to remember conversations with people and I can’t remember anything because I was working so hard on deciphering that I didn’t actually store the content as something meaningful. I feel like I am not in the room. It is very isolating, and a little embarrassing. My husband looks at me like I have 3 heads when he reminds me of something that was spoken about multiple times, at length…things I even responded to appropriately-and I have zero recollection of it even happening. He looks annoyed, worried, and offended. As if what people say to me isn’t important, or I am not really present. Perhaps I am not really present. I’m trying to be. It just doesn’t feel like I am.
The accuracy is unreal🙌🙌
Thank you for this video. I was googling "why don't i understand what people are saying to me" and APD came up, then this on youtube and it's by far the most relatable video i've ever watched. I'm off to seek a diagnosis now. Because this explains a lot about my life. I'm 38 and have always thought I'm a bit stupid with people, but maybe i've just got ear dyslexia. Would be amazing to know i'm no just daft
The dyslexia analogy made so much sense!
I'm going to be 49 this year and I have definitely had this my whole life. All I was able to muster was to record all of my lectures and rely on vivarin to get through college to get a 4 year degree. The experience was exhausting and the process made me think that to go on in college was something that wasn't for me. This condition is exhausting and now that I am much older I am realizing that my life has not panned out the way others may have. As a child, I had the ear infections, I really struggled to read and comprehend at grade level, I really struggled socially, and I have really struggled in my career. I just saw a Ted Talk video where a woman explained her APD condition but what was amazing was her story of being locked in a basement.
I have loved radio since my senior year of high screwl and ever since then I have always wanted to be on the radio. Last year I started a few podcasts that are related to my hobby interests. These have been a positive outlet for me to try to be creative because I have to be at work really early in the morning.
Thank you for this message about your struggles with APD.
My 7 year old just got diagnosed this year thank you for giving me a insight to how it is for him
I love this video. I have a child with APD and we both struggle to explain it to other people. This is a great resource. Thank you for making this video.
Same. My son is 14yo. He was diagnosed with CAPD last year. It’s been a struggle for him, as he has lots of questions like “why do I talk like this” “will I learn how to read and talk like my friends” it breaks my heart. Trying to stay strong🙏🏼 any advice? Do you think he will improve as he grows?
I was diagnosed with Central Auditory Processing Disorder when I was 16 too! I had frequent ear infections (between ages 2 and 7) and most of what you describe is EXACTLY how I feel! I'm almost 39 and even now I struggle so much to follow what people are saying. I often default to saying I'm significantly Hard-of-Hearing (HoH) as I've found other HoH and Deaf folks tend to understand my experiences better than most Hearing people. (That and few people fully grasp the concept of an auditory processing disorder but *do* understand the idea behind Hard-of-Hearing and d/Deaf.
Because I don't "sound deaf" to most people, people are often slow to understand that I can't hear them and even people who've known me for years don't understand just how little I can actually understand. People will often assume that just because I can hear them in SOME environments that I'm good to go in any environment we're in. Is this the case for anyone else?
I didnt know about this. I have always been shocked at how people manage to communicate in loud social settings or when a group splits into 2 conversations. I figured others were just not listening and spouting out just whatever regardless of what was said. I eventually just give up in these scenarios, which is annoyin cause i like loud crowds.
Your video made me cry. This is my life. I am an adult and have struggled with this my whole and had no idea there was a name for this or that anyone else struggled with this. I just that it was me.
I’ve lived with this my whole life and thought it was just a quirk. I’ve never been able to talk on the phone with someone while also there’s any type of background noise or someone else talking to me at the same time (say like placing a to go order and someone else wanting to tell me to add xyz). At work with too much going on such as talking on the phone but if someone else talks to me or tries to get my attention I just can’t. It is like a mumble or noise, i simply can’t focus. I’m over 50, never had ear infections and just learned about this a couple years ago. I shared with friends and family that have known me awhile so they could understand. It all made sense when I started learning the symptoms. I don’t have ADHD or dyslexia and have normal hearing otherwise. Who could’ve known about this in the 80s?
When I was being assessed for ADHD this was one of the things that they thought I might have. I don’t know if there was any formal diagnosis but it was suspected. I’ve looked it up and supposedly it can range from mild to severe? I can relate to mishearing things quite a lot, preferring to have captions on when I watch things and phone calls give me anxiety. Mostly it happens when people are speaking too fast or there’s too much background/ambient noise. I’ve grown accustomed only this past year to audiobooks, but I have to have noise canceling headphones. I was on this group call that’s required for a course I’m taking and it was my turn to talk to someone and ask them questions but she was speaking way too fast for me to come up with a good follow up question since I hardly even processed what she said. The people who spoke slower, lower and clearer in the call were much easier for me to respond to. My parents spoke like that to my siblings and I growing up, so I have no problem with them. It’s like when you’re trying to learn a new foreign language like when I was in high school. Speaking slowly helped with comprehension but say, when I try listening to my partner speak Spanish with his family I can only pick out a few words if that. Or with French too. It sounds like one long jumbled word and that’s how English is sometimes for me if it’s in those situations like I described above. Thanks for your video sharing your experience!
I have apd.... and I feel ur pain...I've been called stupid... if more than one person talks I act like I was busy... thank you for sharing our struggle.
I've just been diagnosed with APD at 33 years old. I have chronic migraines and my last severe continuous migraine lasted for 9 days. After extensive testing at the hospital they determine It left me with minor brain damage causing memory loss and APD. i'd never had panic attacks before this. It's so stressful and I have become so much more introverted, anxious and prone to tears.
Great video! My kids and I have APD as well.
I hope you are well wherever you are
I’m glad you spoke, I kind of what want to cry because I can never really tell people or express myself of what I’m trying to tell them because my speech impediment and apd combined is a total disaster. Especially now as a grown up, it’s hard to drive and a lot of times I deal with high anxiety.
You explain this very well, I now understand my 17-year-old daughter so much more. Thank you 🙏🏼
I have acquired my first pair of apd hearing aids this year and have significantly helped and improved my processing. Without them I have struggled severely with apd since childhood. I also would always say I don't understand and ask folks to repeat themselves. I'm ok with letting folks know I have hearing problems (it's much easier then explaining what apd is)
This is really late but I've had these kind of moments for several years now, first time when a friend of mind was talking to me at my birthday party in a bowling ally and happened a few times last year with me spending the night at a friend's place and chatting about a game. I thought it was just me being an idiot but after talking with my parents and watching this I realized I have APD. thank you so much for your video.
I was born with hearing loss in both ears, grew up using FM systems and accommodations, and in 2015, 2016 had two ear surgeries that returned my hearing to normal. If I recall correctly, the ear surgeon inserted a tiny piece of titanium that closed a gap in the bones in the middle ear section. At this point I started going to university. Then, from that point to graduation, I gradually noticed strange issues related to hearing. I noticed I had trouble remembering conversations and music. I kept encountering people who recognize me but I don't recognize them. I always ask them where and when I met them for the first time. In my senior year, I met someone who recognized me 4 years ago. That means the first time I met that person was my first year of university. I figured out that I might have some sort of neuropsychological / processing problem in the brain. I later posted about this on my social media. A friend who has sensorineural hearing loss told me it sounds like APD.
I had never heard of APD so I looked it up. I think after finding out about APD and its symptoms, I was in shock. There was a lot of things I noticed in my life that I didn't realize were connected. It took me another year to process this fully. Now I think I'm realizing that I have poor auditory memory. Which explains a lot of things. Like not being able to remember my childhood, high school, or university years. While my peers can get used to heavy accents and later understand them, I am not able to do so. Even after listening to a heavy accent for 6 months, I'm still not able to understand what the person was saying.
Right now, I have a job. I go to daily meetings on Teams and listen to outsourced developers from India and Philippines. I still can't understand them well after 8 months. I'm grateful that the CEO and coworkers are understanding of my hearing loss. Most of the more complex tasks are in written form so I'm good. I also notice that I might be good at picking up and utilizing multiple programming languages (Java, Python, Perl, MySQL, Javascript / React, Excel VBA, Git).
At some point soon, I'm going to speak with my family about APD. I don't think they heard of APD. I'm going to schedule an appointment with the ear surgeon and get a diagnosis. I wonder how rare is a APD diagnosis in the early 20s?
I'd only encountered the possibility of this being a thing today, and so it is! I have gotten to the point now where I often spin a wee yarn based on whatever I (mis)hear coming from people, cos I've gotten sick of the awkwardness of either asking someone what they said 4 times over or making out as if I did hear what they said. Spinning a silly yarn is much more fun, and way less awkward. People are often more than willing to clearly repeat what they just said after they've had a giggle at whatever nonsense I respond with, and all. I recommend it as a creative method of dealing with this peculiar affliction! All the best : ]
I’m not diagnosed with APD, but have just started noticing more and trying to figure out why I can’t process audio correctly. My friends have started to point it out to me and notice too, so I didn’t realize how much it effected my daily conversations until now. This video has made me want to get tested for this along with dyslexia (dyslexia for other reasons obviously). The way you heard that lady is exactly how I hear stuff like 70% of the time unless conditions are perfect.
I tend to just ask "what?" A bunch of times and then panic and shut down, but running with what you think they said actually sounds like a good idea, because even in this situation where she answered the question with something totally different, it made it a little more obvious that she was having a problem processing and not just being rude.
Or... I don't know, maybe.
Thank you for being so open and talking about this. It feels good to know I'm not alone. Thank you again.
My boss has been really good with me. She knows if I answer to fast and what I said doesn't make sense she slows down and waits and asks if I heard what she said. Also when learning new complicated tasks with multiple steps I have to do it and we usually go in a room that's uninterrupted and quiet. So thankful to finally know what's wrong.
Thank you I think I can relate to this big time. Work is always difficult and now I know I'm not alone!!
Diagnosis is the key, but unfortunatly here in Portugal nobody knows this condition. Luckly I just got the diagnosis done for my little girl (she is 7). So I can get the help and understanding she needs. Thank you for your video, I'll use it to give a better understanding to her teachers who were just saying she doesn't like to learn portuguese, because with arts and sports she is very good. Like you said, visualy she is very good, she pays attention, but understanding what people tell her is the challenge, and sometimes she can, sometimes she doesn't.
You had ear infections, in her case is genetic, her father has it although it was never diagnosed. He also had lots of challenges in school that led him to leave school very young (although he is a genious building mecanical parts for machines and other manual work).
Hi Meg: Thanks so much for sharing your experience! Would you mind if I share this in a recorded workshop on auditory processing? I think it will help the participants understand APD. :) Great job on the video!!
I was diagnosed with apd when I was very young around 7ish . My teacher started getting pissed of at me when i was younger because I kept skipping lines in books and getting lost into the page at every end of a line and saying 'huh' or what far to much maybe even 6 times across a room with little to none background noise every command. I was not aloud to do alot of things in plays because I couldn't remember my lines which i was sad cause i liked to act but could never remember a line even with weeks of practice. I know that there is people who are far worse than me and I feel so sorry for them cause even though my experiences aren't bad like I don't tell anyone its just my daily life and people get pissed cause I cant study without pictures, cant read books, Try to do thing teachers say but I have no idea what they said I just didnt want to say huh again or what to sound rude and have never had a inside voice Im always the one getting yelled at in class cause I'm loud even though I think im being reasonably quite. apd isn't being quirky its a very minor disorder that pisses myself off cause these little small things build up from being the loud annoying kid in class to then be the quite kid cause i don't wanna be rude. Summary apd is annoying af i hate it but have to get on with it cause at the end of the day if you say what enough to a teacher they will chose someone else to do the task
I have had the EXACT same experience as you 🎀
Thank you for this video. We are wondering if this is the issue with my precious 4 year old granddaughter. The more I learn about APD, the more I feel this is it. Hopefully, we will get some answers from the doctor soon.
The ending is so sweet I almost cried omg
I am a training teacher and I am scared I might be diagnosed with this because of the nature of my job. I am getting a hearing test soon because this is what I hear. Sometimes, I sit next to my housemate and she talks and it takes me so long to process when the tv or other noise is on. I also get frustrated when trying to process university work and there’s lots of noise. The whole time I was in Paris (noisy city) my cousin had to keep repeating herself or tapping me or say my name before she spoke 😂
I struggled to get diagnosed because there was often no one in even major cities that took insurance and did evaluations for CAPD on adults. I was finally able to get diagnosed at 38 after trying to get tested since at least 35. I'm old enough, and with the suspected source of my APD, there are no therapy training options for me. I can only accommodate it with hearing aids w/ built-in FM receiver and my FM mic, good listening practices, and in some situations, I have access to CART services or a voice-to-text app on my phone. Now I'm starting to have tonal loss mixed with it so this should be interesting. I just hope it isn't too bad once my hearing aids are adjusted.
Love the video i also struggle with APD and ADHD since i was born. Its a challenge for me but im doing alright😊
I just found out I have apd and this is a perfect explanation which i 100% relate to! u really got the jumbled up words to sound right too. I'm going to show this video to my mom to explain to her that i have apd :)
I was diagnosed when I was about 7 or 8, I don’t have much memory of my experience but in school I really struggled. I still don’t understand though I’ve actually improved after doing a re-test
My mum probably remembers more than me because she told me she would talk to me or call out and it was like I just didn’t hear her but I was looking. Instructions are really hard, and I would get in trouble a lot with my teachers because I wouldn’t do exactly what they asked 😅 all I can remember is being really confused and try and copy what the other kids were doing.
In grade 2 I had spelling tests and the teacher would call out the words, but I was in a split class with Grade 3’s and it was French immersion, so it was double hard & I wouldn’t understand what was being said and would copy down the grade 3’s words too. Got an FM system later to help filter out the teacher’s voice that year & a lot of kids asked me, I didn’t mind & a lot of the kids actually wanted to play with it. When I had it for longer I find it to be a big hassle, and I hate it honestly. I’d hear the teacher but sometimes the battery would die on the teacher’s mic & I’d have to awkwardly remind them, and there’s a few features that they never use or properly and it’s tiring and awkward to remind them daily. When I’d hear the teacher, I’d hear uh things I wasn’t 😅 a lot of nose blowing on the lighter side, but I heard private teacher convos too. I know it’s supposed to help me but really I hate it, to points where I wouldn’t use it for years on and off again, but I got a new model now, and it’s not as bulky. I still don’t like it though.
I decided to take a retest because I found I wasn’t struggling as bad now I’m older and I did actually improve, but it wasn’t enough to not have my FM system completely. I don’t want it with me forever. Instructions and directions are hard to follow, I’m scared that people will think I’m rude when explaining to me and I don’t look at them, but I’m trying to picture everything in my head. I hate classes like Science & Math because of all the instructions used. I need subtitles for literally everything even if it’s English (btw thanks for subs on the video it was nice) I hated live action movies when I was younger because he actors don’t enunciate words properly like in animated movies. I always heard mumbles and not English (I rewatched a few now, I can understand now and have but realizations of “Ohhh that’s what was being said??” However, listening to movies or videos in class I hate because of all the echo and I can’t concentrate a lot, so I either concentrate so hard if I know I won’t see it again or completely zone out (class readings weren’t really fun, I was lost a lot tbh) it helps a bit because I’ve seen other FM systems before, not the other students but this year I saw an FM system like mine in the Student Support room, it made me feel a bit excited ngl
Anyways yeah in short:
- I hate Instructions, they’re too complicated and I waste time making sure this is what I’m supposed to do
- I have a bad habit of pretending I understand when really I don’t (I’ve asked them to re-explain or repeat over and over and I feel bad bc they get annoyed)
- No subtitles = less understanding & funny mishearings when looking back, or still nothing
- I can’t work with noise, even the smooth soft Study Music for tasks needing reading or math. If it’s background talking like in cafés it’s easier than actual music
- I hate using my FM system, it’s awkward and tiring to constantly remind teachers every year or ever if they get the hang of it, so I just don’t use it even though I should
❤Great video!!❤ Direct & to the point, while still explaining very clearly,
1️⃣ What APD is and
2️⃣How it can present in real time.
This is exactly what I hear. I tell ppl I hear just fine but sometimes sounds like everyone is talking in a different language.