Apd Support Uk

APD Support UK provides free information and support for those affected by Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), their loved ones and anyone wanting to learn more about living with this disabling condition. Although we are based in the UK, APD can affect anyone, anywhere, at any age. APDi is an incurable, lifelong condition that affects the way that the brain processes sound including speech. APD is thought to be caused by damage to the brain. It is a medical (neurological) condition, and only a specialist consultant in audiovestibular medicine is qualified to diagnose it. APD does not affect the hearing mechanism (ears etc) and it can also exist in people with perfect hearing as well as those with additional hearing loss. In someone with normal hearing, speech is heard effectively. APD is listed by the World Health organisation as a hearing impairment because the brain plays a vital role in the hearing process. Without it, what we hear is just unintelligible noise. For someone with APD, speech does not always make sense (but it has a variety of other effects too). APD affects communication; although not a learning disability, it can greatly affect learning, also relationships and work. Whether a child or adult is born with it or acquires it, APD is not their fault and they are not alone. Recent international research has indicated that APD is thought to be present in 5% to 7% of children (some sources say up to 10% or 1 in 10) and in over 20% of adults. The amount increases steeply in children who have learning disabilities, with up to 40% of those children also having Auditory Processing deficits. By comparison, according to the WHO in 2019, Autism/ASD is thought to affect only 1 in 160 children worldwide (with an estimated 1.1% in the UK). APD is not rare. Please sit our website for more information and to access details of the few UK testing centres providing accurate diagnosis, and our support groups.