...a successful treatment option for auditory processing disorders in children
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Phonak wireless FM technology is set to make a key contribution to the successful treatment of Auditory Processing Disorders (APD)
Auditory Processing Disorder in children
Learning difficulties in children can have many causes. One of these which occurs surprisingly frequently, but is not easy to diagnose, is known as Auditory Processing Disorder (APD): children with APD usually have normal hearing ability. Nevertheless, they find it difficult to understand what is being said, for instance in the classroom.
Experts assume that many learning difficulties are caused at least partially by APD and that this plays a key role in the development of speech disorders. APD also could be a significant contributing factor in the emergence of common reading and writing disorders, dyslexia and dysorthographia.
Noise in the classroom
Children with APD have extreme difficulties in the classroom,
where according to research the environmental noise reaches
levels of 60 to 64 decibels.
At most points in the classroom the teacher's voice reaches only a maximum level of 65 decibels.
In the best of listening conditions the teacher's voice is therefore only marginally louder than the sound level of the surroundings.
A child with an Auditory Processing Disorder is overwhelmed by this situation. He or she needs to hear the teacher's voice consistently. This requires the teacher's voice to be up to 20 decibels louder than the environmental noise.
This increase in loudness can only be created with the use of
assistive technology.
EduLink helps children to understand
EduLink is a miniaturized FM receiver that has been developed specifically for use with Auditory Processing Disorder.
EduLink is used to complement therapy and ensures that important information reaches the ear as a priority, up to 20 decibels louder than the environmental noise.
The EduLink system consists of a small, portable FM transmitter with a microphone for the teacher, and a tiny receiver on the child's ear.
EduLink is so small that it does not restrict the movement of the child or teacher. The system is easy to operate and extremely reliable.
EduLink enables the child to receive the teacher's voice at any time without difficulty - even with loud background and ambient noise.
To visit the Phonak website, click here.
