​Our Mission: Coastal Audiology is dedicated to offering families improved quality of life through  comprehensive and individualized hearing healthcare. 

912-748-9494 Phone

hello@coastalaudiology.com

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While adults can be affected by an auditory processing disorder, we most frequently evaluate children for the condition. The symptoms may be similar, but symptoms may be more obvious in children due to academic struggles. 

We recommend specialized auditory processing disorder testing if your child has:

• trouble following spoken directions, especially when there are many steps
• trouble listening, hearing or focusing when it’s very noisy or there’s background noise
  
• trouble understanding and responding to speech
  
• extra sensitivity to loud sounds
  
• inattention/easily distracted
  
• speech, language or learning challenges
  

For more information exclusively about our Auditory Processing Services, please visit our sister website, www.auditoryprocessinggeorgia.com

Auditory Processing​ Evaluation​

How to schedule, the process, and what happens afterwards

Due to the specialized nature of auditory processing testing, the first step in scheduling an evaluation for yourself or your child is a phone call with one of our Audiologists. Phone calls are typically scheduled during normal business hours and can last anywhere between 15 minutes to one hour. 

During this phone call, a detailed case history will be taken to learn more about you or your child, the difficulties experienced, any testing conducted, as well as other details to make testing easier. Prior to this phone call, you will be sent a link to an online questionnaire. Please complete this prior to our scheduled phone consultation.

At the conclusion of the phone call, the evaluation will be scheduled should you wish to proceed with testing.

• The evaluation is between 1-2 hours depending on the age of the individual being tested and how cooperative they are. Short breaks are given between tasks for a sip of water, restroom, etc.
  
• Testing is completed in the morning when individuals are most likely to be well-rested.
  
• Due to developmental norms, individuals being tested are typically seven years old and have the cognitive age/ability to match. Children younger than seven years old can be tested, but the test battery is reduced to just those tests developmentally appropriate for the child. 
  
• Individuals being evaluated should have normal or near-normal hearing thresholds. A current hearing test (no more  than 30 days old) will be necessary before APD testing can be conducted. Hearing testing must be completed by an Audiologist that includes air conduction, bone conduction, speech testing, tympanometry, and ipsi/contra acoustic reflexes. Hearing testing not meeting this criteria must be repeated. This is testing that can be completed at Coastal Audiology and typically can be billed to insurance when applicable. Please contact our office to determine if we are in network with your insurance. Please note--many insurance companies see auditory processing testing as an educational issue, not a medical issue. As a result, some insurance companies will not cover the cost of APD testing. We will check benefits for those insurance companies we are in-network with and let you know if they indicate they typically cover testing. If we are not in-network with your insurance company, you should be prepared to pay for the testing. 
• At the conclusion of the test, an appointment approximately one-two weeks after testing will be scheduled to review the results and any recommendations the Audiologist has. This visit is included as part of the test. Should you reschedule or cancel this appointment with less than 24 hours notice or no-show, you will be billed an out-of-pocket office visit charge for the appointment to review results & recommendations.
  
• If testing reveals an auditory processing weakness, therapy will be recommended.  ​Auditory processing therapy does not currently have approved CPT billing codes for audiology and as a result, therapy is an out of pocket expense. Based on the length of the therapy session, the fee is $82-$164 per session. While every person's needs are different, most needing therapy start with 12-14 sessions per round. In our office, we generally re-test after 6 sessions to determine progress and re-assess therapy goals . This re-test is typically not covered by insurance and is an out-of-pocket fee of $246.Please note: APD testing is conducted through our sister company, Bloom Speech & Hearing Center, which does not currently accept insurance. As a result, all APD testing is billed to the patient as an out-of-pocket expense. We accept all major credit cards and offer financing through Care Credit to those who qualify based on Care Credit's terms & conditions. 

Individuals with auditory processing disorder (APD) have trouble making sense out of what they hear. Most individuals  with APD — often also called “central auditory processing disorder” (CAPD) — have normal hearing. Their struggle involves being unable to tell the differences between the sounds in words. It’s a complex problem that affects about 5 percent of children.  Our Audiologists expertly diagnose auditory processing disorder and help individuals learn to manage it. We work with families to figure out what’s going on and find the right therapy, so those affected can be successful in school and life.

Auditory Processing Evaluations for auditory processing disorder

Many of the individuals we have tested originally thought they had a hearing loss. They may have had a hearing screening at work, school or their physician's office only to discover they have "normal hearing." Naturally, this may lead to frustration when symptoms seem to point to difficulty hearing but you're told your hearing test results are normal. This is why an evaluation by a trained Audiologist who has the expertise and certification to diagnose central auditory processing disorder is critical.  Our Audiologists are experienced in working with individuals with auditory processing disorder. Our specialized programs provide complete diagnosis and treatment. And we work with employers, schools, and teachers to make sure they understand auditory processing disorder and adults and kids alike have what they need to succeed.