Central Auditory Processing (CAP) refers to how the brain understands and uses the sounds we hear. Many people have normal hearing but still struggle to make sense of sounds, especially in challenging situations like noisy classrooms, group conversations, or when following spoken instructions.

Our Central Auditory Processing evaluation goes beyond a standard hearing test. It looks at how well the whole auditory system processes sound. This includes skills such as:

• Auditory attention
• Sound discrimination
• Analysis & synthesis of sounds
• Language association
• Organization & execution

This information is extremely valuable for parents, teachers, and other professionals, as it guides appropriate environmental modifications at home and in the classroom. We also use the evaluation to create a personalized and functional training program that helps strengthen specific skills that need support.

Who Can Benefit From a CAP Assessment?

Children and adults 4½ years of age and older are candidates for a CAP evaluation if they experience:

• Difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments or group settings
• Trouble following directions or needing frequent repetition
• Appears to hear but does not fully understand what is said
• History of frequent ear infections, other ear problems, or neurological conditions
• Easily distracted; poor listening skills, attention, or concentration
• Speech and language delays or weak memory skills
• Difficulty determining where sounds are coming from
• Challenges with phonics, reading, spelling, or written language

This comprehensive evaluation is designed to determine whether a central auditory processing disorder is present and, if so, identify the specific type of difficulty.

Pre-School Assessment
For younger children, this assessment focuses on identifying strengths and weaknesses in developing auditory processing skills. It includes both formal and informal tasks that examine early “building blocks” of auditory processing.