Causes Of Auditory Processing Disorder

October 4, 2023

Auditory processing disorder occurs most often in younger children. The disorder is marked by extreme difficulty in taking in and understanding verbal information, even in individuals with no auditory impairment such as deafness. Auditory processing disorder can also make it hard for an individual to share verbal information in a sensical manner.

Damage to the ears does not cause this disorder. It also is not caused by damage to areas that sense sounds, since auditory processing disorder affects a patient's ability to perceive, or make sense of, an audible sensation. While auditory processing disorder cannot be cured, conditions can be improved with the help of hearing aids and work with a therapist.

Premature Birth

Premature birth has been implicated as a potential cause for auditory processing disorder. Studies have shown children born prematurely have an increased incidence of this disorder than those who were born around their due date. However, the temporal aspect of premature birth likely is not the actual cause. Since premature babies tend to be less developed than full-term babies, the true issue probably lies in the complications that arise from such a birth.

For example, the nervous system is continuously developed throughout the pregnancy and the infant's first year of life. Premature babies are deprived of the relative safety of the womb, which may impede the development of the auditory cortices in the brain where sound processing occurs. Other conditions related to prematurity may also complicate the development of the auditory system. Without a fully developed liver, bilirubin can accumulate in the baby and cause brain damage.

Low Birth Weight

Low birth weight may be another cause of auditory processing disorder, but not all babies who weigh a little under average are unhealthy. Low birth weight is usually caused by preterm delivery or by growth restrictions in the womb. While this may cause many complications, two of them are more likely to increase the risk of a child developing auditory processing disorder. Babies who are born too light may have breathing problems, which can cause hypoxia, low oxygen supply, of the brain.

Without oxygen, cells cannot create a sufficient amount of energy and begin to die. This may affect parts of the brain associated with the perception of sound, which would contribute to auditory processing disorder. Intraventricular hemorrhaging, brain bleeds, can cause auditory processing disorder through brain damage from a build-up of fluids. Doctors should be able to treat both of these issues and reduce the overall damage done.

Head Injury

Head injuries are quite common, and even the most minor of injuries can cause problems with memory, learning, attention, sensation, and perception. Head injuries can be obtained in many ways, from falling off a bike to playing sports. These injuries can easily cause damage to the brain, where auditory processing occurs. Head injuries have been found to be more likely to damage the processing parts of the auditory system, which leads to auditory processing disorder.

Interestingly, patients who have injured the head often do not receive an audiological evaluation to determine if damage has been done to the auditory system. This is a problem because patients benefit more from early intervention, especially since auditory processing disorder can lead to other cognitive and emotional problems.

Genetics

Newer studies have implied genetics may play a role in auditory processing disorder. Studies have suggested an individual's genes largely influence their ability to perceive two separate sounds at one time. While an exact genetic mechanism has yet to be determined, there are a few potential explanations.

One explanation would be having a certain gene, or set of genes, makes it impossible for an individual to listen to two things at once, and that this ultimately leads to the development of auditory processing disorder. The more likely explanation is an individual's genetics influence their risk of developing auditory processing disorder. This would mean the genes associated with the disorder do not guarantee a person has the disorder, but they have the potential to develop the disorder. For example, an individual with a theoretical auditory processing disorder gene will be much more likely to develop the disorder if they experience something like a stroke that damages the auditory cortices.

Illness

Auditory processing disorder may also be caused by illness. Chronic ear infections, for instance, may cause the disorder, as they do not allow a young child to get enough use out of the auditory processing cortices, making it hard for them to interpret verbal information. Meningitis, an inflammation of the meninges surrounding the brain and spinal cord, may cause auditory processing disorder by compressing and damaging areas of the brain associated with the processing of auditory information.

Certain poisons can also damage the auditory cortices and contribute to the development of auditory processing disorder. Some diseases of the nervous system can cause the development of auditory processing disorder, as they cause harm to the neurons that process sound, which makes it hard for an individual to make sense of what they hear.

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