It can be so frustrating for teachers- a student seems to be listening, but classwork and testing reflect that the student has not processed the information and is in danger of failing. Is it behavior? Possibly ADHD? More often than not, the student may have a condition known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD).

Usually diagnosed by an audiologist after a series of tests, it can often exist with ADHD, autism, and learning disabilities. Central Auditory Processing Disorder is not hearing loss; instead, "it is the inability to attend to, discriminate, recognize or comprehend what is heard, even though hearing and intelligence are normal. Central auditory processing disorders are more pronounced when listening to distorted speech, or in poor acoustic environments such as listening in the presence of competing background noise." - Aditi Eve Silverstein, MA, CCC-SLP, Innovative Therapies