Understanding ADHD: An Audiologist's Perspective at Cadabam’s CDC

I. Introduction

What is the audiologist perspective on ADHD? At its core, it involves a specialized viewpoint focused on the complex interplay between hearing acuity, the brain's ability to process sound (auditory processing), listening skills, and behaviours often overlapping with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It's crucial to understand that audiologists do not diagnose ADHD itself; that role belongs to psychologists, psychiatrists, or developmental paediatricians. However, the audiologist perspective on ADHD provides indispensable information, helping to differentiate potential hearing or auditory processing issues from core ADHD symptoms, thus contributing vital data to a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation. This careful assessment ensures that interventions are accurately targeted.

II. Why This Perspective Matters: Cadabam’s Integrated Approach

The Crucial Role of Audiology in Understanding ADHD Symptoms

Considering the audiologist perspective on ADHD isn't just an optional add-on; it's often a critical step in accurately understanding the challenges a child might be facing, especially when symptoms involve difficulty listening, following directions, or appearing inattentive. ADHD-like behaviours can sometimes stem from, or be significantly exacerbated by, underlying hearing or auditory processing difficulties that mimic attention problems. Ignoring the potential contribution of the auditory system can lead to misinterpretations of behaviour and ineffective intervention strategies.

Cadabam’s CDC stands out due to our deeply integrated model, where the audiologist perspective on ADHD is woven into the fabric of our comprehensive evaluation process:

• Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration: Our strength lies in teamwork. Cadabam's audiologists don't work in isolation. They collaborate intimately with our team of clinical psychologists, child psychiatrists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and special educators. Regular team meetings ensure that findings from the audiologist perspective on ADHD evaluation are discussed alongside psychological testing, behavioural observations, and developmental assessments. This synergy allows for a richer, more nuanced understanding of the child. For instance, if an audiologist identifies specific auditory processing weaknesses, this information directly informs the strategies used by speech therapists or the classroom accommodations recommended by educators. This collaborative framework ensures the role of audiologist in ADHD evaluation is fully realized.
• Comprehensive Assessment Beyond Core Symptoms: True understanding requires looking at the whole child. While core ADHD symptoms (inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity) are central to diagnosis, Cadabam’s philosophy emphasizes investigating related areas that can influence behaviour and learning. The audiologist perspective on ADHD is crucial here. By systematically evaluating hearing acuity and auditory processing skills, we can rule out or identify auditory factors that might be contributing to observed difficulties. This prevents attributing all listening problems solely to ADHD when an auditory component might be present, requiring specific audiological intervention. This comprehensive view, informed by the audiologist perspective on ADHD, leads to more accurate diagnostic clarification.
• Personalized Care Plans: Every child is unique, and their challenges require tailored solutions. Integrating the insights gained from the audiologist perspective on ADHD allows us to move beyond generic interventions. If audiological testing reveals specific deficits (e.g., difficulty filtering background noise), the treatment plan can include targeted strategies like environmental modifications, assistive listening technology, or specific auditory training exercises, alongside traditional ADHD management approaches. This personalized approach, enriched by the crucial audiologist perspective on ADHD, maximizes the potential for positive outcomes by addressing all contributing factors. The audiologist perspective on ADHD ensures we don't miss vital clues hidden within the auditory system.

III. The Overlap: ADHD Symptoms vs. Auditory Processing Challenges

Untangling Symptoms: ADHD, Hearing Loss, and Auditory Processing

One of the most significant contributions of the audiologist perspective on ADHD is helping to untangle the often-confusing overlap between symptoms of ADHD, undiagnosed hearing loss, and Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD). Children struggling in these areas can exhibit remarkably similar behaviours, making careful differentiation essential for effective support. A child who appears inattentive might not be intentionally tuning out; they might be genuinely struggling to hear clearly or make sense of the sounds around them. Without considering the audiologist perspective on ADHD, these crucial distinctions can be missed.

Common Behaviors That Warrant Audiological Investigation

While many behavioural symptoms can point towards ADHD, certain patterns strongly suggest that incorporating the audiologist perspective on ADHD through a formal evaluation is warranted. If a child consistently displays several of the following behaviours, exploring potential auditory factors is crucial:

• Difficulty Following Spoken Instructions: Particularly noticeable with multi-step directions or when instructions are given in noisy environments or from a distance. This isn't always defiance or inattention; it could indicate problems processing auditory sequences or filtering out background noise.
• Appearing "Tuned Out" or Distracted: Often described as daydreaming or not paying attention during conversations, story time, or classroom lessons. This behaviour could stem from difficulty sustaining auditory attention or from experiencing listening fatigue due to the effort required to process sound.
• Frequently Asking "What?" or Needing Repetition: Constantly requesting information to be repeated, even in quiet settings, can signal either a hearing acuity issue or difficulty processing the auditory signal efficiently the first time. The audiologist perspective on ADHD helps discern the cause.
• Challenges with Phonics, Reading, or Spelling: Difficulties discriminating between similar-sounding words (e.g., "cat"/"cap," "seventy"/"seventeen") or blending sounds can impact literacy development and may point towards underlying auditory discrimination or temporal processing weaknesses.
• Increased Distractibility in Noisy Settings: While many children with ADHD struggle in noisy environments, those with co-occurring auditory processing issues may find these situations overwhelmingly challenging, leading to heightened distractibility, anxiety, or shutdown. The audiologist perspective on ADHD examines this noise sensitivity carefully.
• Sound Sensitivity (Hyperacusis) or Seeking Specific Sounds: Some children might react negatively to everyday sounds (like vacuum cleaners or hand dryers), while others might seem overly interested in or distracted by subtle noises others ignore. Both patterns can relate to how the auditory system processes sound intensity and relevance.
• Inconsistent Performance: Performing well in quiet, one-on-one settings but struggling significantly in group or classroom environments is a classic sign that auditory factors might be at play.

Audiologist Insights on ADHD and Auditory Processing (APD)

Here lies a critical area where the audiologist perspective on ADHD offers profound insights. Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) refers to difficulties in how the central nervous system interprets and uses auditory information, even when peripheral hearing is normal. Essentially, the ears hear fine, but the brain struggles to make sense of the sound. Sharing this valuable audiologist insight on ADHD and auditory processing is key.

• Symptom Mimicry: The symptoms of APD can strikingly mimic those of ADHD, particularly the inattentive subtype. Children with APD may struggle with:
  • Auditory Attention: Difficulty focusing on auditory information for extended periods.
  • Auditory Discrimination: Trouble distinguishing between similar sounds or words.
  • Auditory Figure-Ground: Difficulty understanding speech in noisy backgrounds.
  • Auditory Memory: Trouble remembering information presented orally.
  • Auditory Cohesion: Difficulty drawing inferences or understanding higher-level language like humour or sarcasm presented verbally.
  • Temporal Processing: Issues with the timing aspects of sound, crucial for understanding speech rhythm and intonation.
  • Sound Localization: Difficulty identifying where a sound is coming from.
  • Dichotic Listening: Problems processing different information presented to both ears simultaneously.
• High Co-occurrence: Research indicates a significant overlap between ADHD and APD. Many children diagnosed with ADHD also meet the criteria for APD, and vice versa. This high co-morbidity rate underscores the importance of the audiologist perspective on ADHD. Evaluating for APD in children presenting with ADHD symptoms (or vice versa) is often necessary for a complete diagnostic picture. This audiologist insight on ADHD and auditory processing helps teams avoid diagnostic overshadowing, where one condition masks the other.
• Listening Fatigue: Children with APD often expend significant mental energy just trying to listen and process sound accurately. This can lead to "listening fatigue," where they become mentally exhausted faster than peers in listening-intensive situations (like the classroom), which can then manifest as increased inattention, restlessness, or avoidance behaviours – easily mistaken for core ADHD symptoms alone. The audiologist perspective on ADHD recognizes this fatigue as a potential consequence of processing deficits.

How Audiologists Differentiate Hearing Issues from ADHD Symptoms

A core function highlighted by the audiologist perspective on ADHD is the ability to systematically differentiate auditory problems from attention-based issues, although they frequently interact. This is not about choosing one diagnosis over the other, but about identifying all contributing factors. How audiologists differentiate hearing issues from ADHD symptoms involves a multi-step process:

1. Comprehensive Hearing Evaluation: The first step is always to rule out peripheral hearing loss. An audiologist performs standard tests like pure-tone audiometry (testing the softest sounds heard at different frequencies) and speech audiometry (testing the ability to hear and understand spoken words). Even a mild or fluctuating hearing loss (e.g., due to chronic ear infections) can significantly impact listening and behaviour.
2. Auditory Processing Assessment (If Indicated): If hearing acuity is normal but listening concerns persist, specialized APD testing may be recommended. This battery of tests assesses specific auditory processing skills under challenging conditions. Examples include:
   • Auditory Figure-Ground Tests: Presenting speech with competing background noise.
   • Filtered Speech Tests: Assessing the ability to understand distorted or degraded speech.
   • Dichotic Listening Tests: Presenting different sounds or words to each ear simultaneously.
   • Temporal Processing Tests: Evaluating the ability to perceive timing aspects of sounds (e.g., gaps, duration). These tests require the child to actively listen and respond, but they are designed to challenge the auditory system's processing capabilities more than sustained attention itself, although attention naturally plays a role. Interpreting these results requires expertise – a key audiologist perspective on ADHD.
3. Behavioral Observations: During testing, the audiologist observes the child's behaviour, attention, response patterns, and any signs of fatigue or frustration. These qualitative observations add context to the test scores. For example, does the child perform poorly across all tests (suggesting general attention issues), or do they struggle specifically on tests challenging certain auditory skills? This is central to how audiologists differentiate hearing issues from ADHD symptoms.
4. Differential Diagnosis Considerations: The audiologist considers the pattern of results. Poor performance on tasks requiring listening in noise might point towards an auditory figure-ground deficit (APD), whereas inconsistent attention across various simple and complex tasks (auditory and visual) might lean more towards ADHD. Difficulty only on auditory tasks strengthens the case for considering APD. The audiologist perspective on ADHD contributes this specific analysis to the overall differential diagnosis process managed by the multidisciplinary team.

By systematically evaluating both peripheral hearing and central auditory processing, the audiologist perspective on ADHD provides crucial data to help the diagnostic team understand the why behind a child's listening difficulties and inattentive behaviours.

IV. The Audiologist's Role in the ADHD Assessment Journey at Cadabam's

The Audiologist's Contribution to Comprehensive ADHD Evaluation

At Cadabam’s CDC, the role of the audiologist in ADHD evaluation is integral to our commitment to comprehensive, accurate assessments. When concerns about attention, listening, or learning arise, incorporating the audiologist perspective on ADHD ensures we don't overlook potential auditory contributions. Our audiologists act as vital members of the diagnostic team, providing specialized insights that complement psychological and medical evaluations. Their contribution extends beyond simple hearing checks to a nuanced analysis of how a child processes the world of sound. The role of audiologist in ADHD evaluation is multifaceted:

Initial Consultation and Hearing Screening

The journey often begins with an initial consultation where the audiologist meets with parents/caregivers and sometimes the child. This involves:

• Gathering Detailed History: The audiologist carefully listens to parental concerns, asking specific questions about:
  • Listening behaviours in different environments (quiet vs. noisy).
  • History of ear infections or other ear-related health issues.
  • Reported hearing difficulties or requests for repetition.
  • Sensitivity to sounds.
  • Difficulties with following directions or remembering auditory information.
  • Family history of hearing loss or learning difficulties.
  • Teacher feedback regarding classroom listening behaviours. This history provides critical context and helps guide the subsequent assessment. Understanding these details is part of the audiologist perspective on ADHD.
• Standard Audiometry: A fundamental step is conducting a comprehensive hearing test to establish the integrity of the peripheral auditory system. This typically includes:
  • Otoscopy: Visual inspection of the ear canal and eardrum.
  • Tympanometry: Testing middle ear function (eardrum mobility, middle ear pressure), important for identifying issues like fluid in the ear.
  • Pure-Tone Audiometry (Air & Bone Conduction): Measuring the softest sounds (thresholds) the child can hear across a range of frequencies critical for speech perception.
  • Speech Audiometry: Assessing the ability to detect speech (Speech Detection Threshold) and understand spoken words at comfortable listening levels (Word Recognition Score). Ruling out or quantifying any degree of hearing loss is paramount before considering central processing issues. This baseline check is a foundational audiologist perspective on ADHD.

Specialized Auditory Processing Assessment (If Warranted)

If the standard hearing evaluation reveals normal hearing acuity, yet concerns about listening skills, understanding speech in noise, or following auditory instructions persist (based on history, observations, or screening tools), a specialized Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) assessment may be recommended. The audiologist perspective on ADHD recognizes that normal hearing doesn't automatically mean normal listening. This assessment digs deeper:

• Purpose-Driven Testing: The goal isn't just to administer tests, but to understand how the brain handles complex auditory signals. The audiologist selects a battery of tests targeting specific skills identified as potential areas of weakness based on the child’s profile. While the specific tests vary, they often aim to evaluate:
  • Listening in Noise: How well can the child understand speech when background noise is present? (e.g., Speech-in-Noise tests)
  • Degraded Speech Understanding: How well can the child comprehend speech that is electronically altered or filtered, mimicking challenging listening situations? (e.g., Filtered Speech tests)
  • Auditory Integration: How well can the child process different information coming into both ears simultaneously or sequence sounds correctly? (e.g., Dichotic Digits, Pitch Pattern Sequence tests)
  • Temporal Processing: How well can the child perceive subtle timing cues in sound, crucial for speech understanding? (e.g., Gap Detection tests)
• Interpreting Results in Context: The audiologist doesn't just look at scores in isolation. They interpret the pattern of performance across different tests in the context of the child's age, cognitive abilities (if known), attention during testing, and the referral concerns. A key aspect of the audiologist perspective on ADHD is knowing that attention and auditory processing can influence each other; the goal is to determine if there's evidence of a specific auditory processing deficit contributing to the overall picture.

Collaboration and Reporting within the Multidisciplinary Team

The role of the audiologist in ADHD evaluation culminates in effective communication and collaboration:

• Clear Communication of Findings: The audiologist synthesizes the results from the history, hearing test, and any APD assessments into a comprehensive report. This report clearly explains the findings in accessible language, detailing areas of strength and weakness in the auditory domain. It explicitly addresses the referral questions, particularly concerning the potential overlap with ADHD symptoms. Presenting this audiologist perspective on ADHD clearly is vital.
• Contribution to Diagnosis and Recommendations: The audiologist presents their findings to the multidisciplinary team (psychologist, psychiatrist, SLP, OT, educators). They offer their audiologist perspective on ADHD, explaining how the identified auditory strengths or weaknesses might interact with the child's attention, behaviour, and learning profile. This information helps the team:
  • Refine the differential diagnosis (e.g., ADHD alone, APD alone, co-occurring ADHD and APD).
  • Develop a more targeted and comprehensive intervention plan that addresses all identified needs.
• Family Partnership: A crucial part of the role of audiologist in ADHD evaluation is discussing the results and their implications directly with the parents/caregivers. The audiologist explains what the findings mean in practical terms for the child's daily life (at home and school) and outlines potential audiological recommendations (e.g., strategies, technology, environmental changes). This empowers families to understand and support their child effectively, informed by the audiologist perspective on ADHD.

V. Audiological Strategies & Support for Children with ADHD

Supporting Listening and Learning: Audiological Considerations for ADHD Patients

Once an evaluation incorporating the audiologist perspective on ADHD is complete, the focus shifts to intervention and support. Even if a child primarily receives an ADHD diagnosis, understanding their auditory profile allows for targeted strategies that can significantly enhance their ability to listen, learn, and focus. These audiological considerations for ADHD patients are crucial for creating supportive environments and equipping children with necessary skills or tools. These strategies are often beneficial whether a formal APD diagnosis is made or not, especially if specific listening weaknesses were identified.

Environmental Modifications

Creating optimal listening environments can dramatically reduce the cognitive load associated with listening, freeing up mental resources for attention and learning. The audiologist perspective on ADHD strongly advocates for assessing and modifying acoustics:

• Classroom Acoustics: Classrooms are notoriously noisy. Recommendations may include:
  • Preferential Seating: Seating the child near the teacher and away from noise sources (windows, doors, vents, pencil sharpeners).
  • Reducing Reverberation (Echo): Adding sound-absorbing materials like carpets, curtains, acoustic tiles on ceilings or walls.
  • Minimizing Background Noise: Ensuring HVAC systems are quiet, using tennis balls on chair legs, establishing quiet classroom routines. The audiologist perspective on ADHD emphasizes that improving the signal-to-noise ratio helps all students, but is particularly critical for those with ADHD or APD.
• Home Listening Environments: Similar principles apply at home:
  • Reducing Competing Noise: Turning off the TV or radio during homework or important conversations.
  • Establishing Quiet Zones: Creating a designated quiet space for homework or focused tasks.
  • Gaining Attention: Ensuring the child is looking at you before giving instructions. Face-to-face communication is key.

Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) / Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT)

For some children, particularly those with diagnosed APD or significant difficulty hearing in noise (even with normal hearing acuity), technology can bridge the listening gap. This is a key audiological consideration for ADHD patients where appropriate.

• FM Systems / Remote Microphone Systems: These are the most common ALDs used in educational settings. The teacher wears a small microphone transmitter, and the child wears a discreet receiver connected to earbuds or headphones (or coupled to hearing aids if applicable). The teacher's voice is delivered directly to the child's ears, overcoming the negative effects of distance, background noise, and reverberation.
  • Benefit: This dramatically improves the clarity of the teacher's voice, reducing listening effort and potentially improving focus and comprehension.
  • Recommendation Criteria: While often recommended for APD, the audiologist perspective on ADHD might suggest exploring FM systems even for some children with ADHD alone if classroom listening and attention are major concerns, as improving signal clarity can sometimes aid focus. Trial periods are often suggested.
• Other Potential HAT: Depending on specific needs, other devices like personal amplifiers or TV listeners might be considered for home use.

Auditory Training and Listening Skills Programs

Direct intervention aimed at improving auditory processing skills can be beneficial. These programs don't "cure" APD or ADHD but can help the brain become more efficient at processing sound and teach compensatory strategies. Considering these falls under audiological considerations for ADHD patients.

• Formal Auditory Training: These are often computer-based or therapist-led programs designed to target specific deficits identified during the APD assessment, such as:
  • Auditory discrimination training (distinguishing similar sounds).
  • Temporal processing training (recognizing sound patterns and timing).
  • Dichotic listening training (improving processing of competing information).
  • Listening in noise training.
  • (Mention specific programs if Cadabam's uses/recommends them, e.g., Fast ForWord, LiSN & Learn, etc. - placeholder)
• Compensatory Strategies / Metalinguistic Skills: Teaching the child active strategies to manage listening challenges:
  • Active Listening Techniques: Learning to anticipate, look for visual cues, ask clarifying questions ("Did you say X or Y?").
  • Chunking Information: Breaking down long instructions into smaller parts.
  • Visualization: Creating mental pictures of information heard.
  • Using Organizers: Employing checklists or graphic organizers to track auditory information.
  • Self-Advocacy: Teaching the child to recognize when they are struggling to hear/understand and to ask for help appropriately. The audiologist perspective on ADHD often involves recommending these strategies in collaboration with speech-language pathologists and educators.

Integrating Audiological Recommendations into Therapy Plans

The true power of the audiologist perspective on ADHD comes alive when findings are integrated across disciplines at Cadabam's:

• Speech-Language Therapy: SLPs can use the audiologist's report to tailor therapy goals. If auditory discrimination is weak, therapy might focus on phonological awareness. If auditory memory is poor, strategies for recall will be emphasized. Listening comprehension goals can be adjusted based on known processing weaknesses.
• Occupational Therapy: OTs addressing sensory processing issues can incorporate the audiologist's findings regarding sound sensitivity (hyperacusis or hyporeactivity), helping the child develop coping mechanisms for challenging auditory environments.
• Educational Support: Teachers and special educators can implement classroom accommodations (seating, ALDs) and instructional strategies (visual aids, checking for understanding, pre-teaching vocabulary) informed by the audiologist perspective on ADHD.
• Psychological/Behavioural Support: Understanding that listening effort can contribute to fatigue and frustration helps therapists and parents interpret behaviours more accurately and provide appropriate support and accommodations rather than solely focusing on punitive measures for perceived inattention.

By considering these audiological considerations for ADHD patients, Cadabam’s ensures a holistic support system that addresses the child's challenges from multiple angles, maximizing their potential for success. The audiologist perspective on ADHD acts as a critical lens for refining these supports.

VI. Meet Our Experts: The Audiology Team at Cadabam’s

Expert Insights: Understanding ADHD from an Audiology Standpoint at Cadabam's

At Cadabam’s Child Development Center, our dedicated audiology team plays a pivotal role in understanding ADHD from an audiology standpoint. Comprised of highly qualified and experienced audiologists specializing in paediatric assessment, our professionals bring a wealth of knowledge and a compassionate approach to each child's evaluation. They are skilled not only in identifying hearing loss but also in navigating the complexities of auditory processing and its intricate relationship with neurodevelopmental disorders like ADHD. Their expertise is fundamental to our multidisciplinary model, providing the crucial audiologist perspective on ADHD. (Consider adding brief, anonymized credentials or areas of specialization if possible, e.g., "Our team includes audiologists with certifications in paediatric audiology and extensive experience in APD assessment.")

Our audiologists are committed to evidence-based practice, staying current with the latest research on APD, ADHD, and related conditions. They utilize state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and interpret findings within the broader context of the child's development, collaborating closely with families and the rest of the Cadabam's team. Their audiologist perspective on ADHD is informed by both scientific knowledge and years of clinical experience.

Here are some insights directly from our experts, highlighting the importance of understanding ADHD from an audiology standpoint:

Quote 1 (EEAT): From a Cadabam's Audiologist: "Often, what looks like inattention can stem from the child genuinely struggling to process auditory information accurately, especially in challenging listening environments like a classroom. Our role, embodying the audiologist perspective on ADHD, is to meticulously uncover if hearing or specific listening challenges are contributing factors to the difficulties commonly associated with ADHD. This ensures that interventions, whether behavioural, educational, or technological, target the right areas for maximum benefit."

Quote 2 (EEAT): From a Cadabam's Audiologist: “A comprehensive view is vital when evaluating a child presenting with attention or learning difficulties. Relying solely on behavioural checklists can sometimes miss underlying issues. By integrating the audiologist perspective on ADHD alongside psychological and developmental assessments conducted by our colleagues, we gain a much clearer, more holistic understanding of the child's unique profile and needs. This collaborative understanding ADHD from an audiology standpoint leads directly to more effective, personalized support strategies that truly make a difference."

The collaborative spirit and clinical expertise of our audiology team ensure that the audiologist perspective on ADHD is thoughtfully considered for every child who might benefit, contributing significantly to the diagnostic clarity and therapeutic success achieved at Cadabam’s CDC.

VII. Case Spotlight: Integrating Audiology in ADHD Care (Anonymized)

Success Story: How Audiological Insights Improved Outcomes for a Child with ADHD Symptoms

This anonymized case illustrates the powerful impact of incorporating the audiologist perspective on ADHD into a comprehensive evaluation and treatment plan at Cadabam’s CDC.

• The Challenge: "Rohan," a bright 8-year-old boy, was referred to Cadabam's due to increasing difficulties in his 3rd-grade classroom. His teacher reported significant inattention during lessons, frequent requests for repetition, trouble following multi-step instructions, and becoming easily overwhelmed and disruptive during group activities. His parents noted similar issues at home, alongside frustration with homework. Initial suspicions centered on ADHD.
• Comprehensive Assessment at Cadabam's: Rohan underwent a multidisciplinary evaluation. Psychological testing indicated attention difficulties consistent with ADHD. However, given the prominent complaints about listening and following directions, especially in noise, the team recommended including an audiological assessment to get the full picture – adding the audiologist perspective on ADHD.
• Audiological Findings: Rohan’s standard hearing test was completely normal. However, the specialized APD assessment revealed specific weaknesses. He showed significant difficulty understanding speech in the presence of background noise (poor auditory figure-ground skills) and had trouble processing rapid speech sequences. The audiologist concluded that while ADHD might be present, a co-occurring Auditory Processing Disorder was significantly impacting his ability to function in noisy or fast-paced auditory environments like the classroom. This specific audiologist perspective on ADHD was relayed to the team.
• Integrated Intervention: Based on the combined findings, Rohan received an ADHD diagnosis managed with behavioural strategies and parent training. Crucially, the audiologist perspective on ADHD led to specific, targeted interventions:
  • Classroom Accommodations: Rohan was fitted with a trial FM system, providing him direct access to his teacher's voice. He was also given preferential seating near the front and away from noise sources.
  • Targeted Strategies: His speech-language pathologist, informed by the audiology report, incorporated strategies focusing on listening in noise, chunking instructions, and using visual aids. Rohan was taught self-advocacy skills to ask for clarification.
  • Environmental Support: Parents were counselled on creating quieter homework spaces and using clear, concise language.
• Outcome: Within a few months, Rohan showed marked improvement. The FM system significantly reduced his listening effort in class, allowing him to sustain attention for longer periods. His teachers reported better participation and fewer disruptions. He expressed less frustration with schoolwork, and his confidence grew. While ADHD management strategies were important, addressing the specific auditory processing challenges identified through the audiologist perspective on ADHD was key to unlocking his potential. This case highlights how understanding the full picture, including the crucial audiologist perspective on ADHD, leads to more effective and holistic care.