Home Help for Auditory Processing Issues

Students with poor auditory processing skills are often the most angry and frustrated of all.  It’s no wonder!  Auditory processing skills are basic to human communication, and everyone knows that when you have a problem with communication, you can’t help but become frustrated.  This doesn’t even take into account the long day a student with auditory processing issues endures during a school day or even the basic level of communication that takes place with family and peers.

If you suspect your child has auditory processing problems, keep in mind he/she won’t outgrow this condition and you will need to find someone to help put these crucial pieces back into place. Until then, here are some helpful hints for you to help you to use at home.

* Give your child your full attention when talking to him/her.

* Eliminate background noise while doing something important like school work.

* Model correct responses to social situations.  Play dates with just one child at a time or a close family friend are recommended instead of a large group of children.

* Give clear and firm expectations and consequences.  A visual cue is often helpful.

* Maintain eye contact while talking.

* Give your child plenty of time to find thoughts and words when asking a question.

* Get down to your child’s level when talking to him/her.

* Listen patiently.  Don’t try to finish sentences or toss in words that you know he/she is trying to say.

* Let your child come up with his/her own words.  If grammar is incorrect, rephrase it properly instead of correcting outright.  For instance, if your child says “That is him’s house.”  Say, “Yes, that is his house.”

*  Be sure to give simple instructions.  Start with one step.  Then go to two steps.  When two steps are mastered, go to three.

* Pick a word a day for vocabulary building.  Make sure that you have a picture tied to the vocabulary word and discuss what the word means and how it relates to the picture.

* Provide noise cancelling headphones if your child is doing homework and you can’t keep the house quiet.

* Limit video games and computer games with loud noises.  These just serve to distract the student and make focusing more difficult.

These are just a few things that you can do to help your child adjust at home.  The goal is to take the pressure off your child.

Best wishes,

Lisa