Shawn, 12, was supposed to be home in time for his dentist's appointment at 3:30. But when he finally walked in the house at five o'clock, he was surprised to hear about the appointment and that his mother had reminded him about it that morning.

Normal kids? Or is something else going on?

Life is complicated these days, for children as much as adults. There is a lot to remember and a lot to do. But sometimes a child may seem to be more than simply distracted by a complex life. If you think there may be a problem with your child, answer these questions: 

• Is your child easily distracted or unusually bothered by loud or sudden noises?
• Are noisy environments upsetting?
• Does behavior and performance improve in quieter settings?
• Does your child have difficulty following directions, whether simple or complicated ones?
• Does your child have reading, spelling, writing or other speech-language difficulties?
• Is abstract information difficult to comprehend?
• Are verbal (word) math problems difficult?
• Is your child disorganized and forgetful?
• Are conversations hard for your child to follow?

These, as well as other behaviors, may be signs of a central auditory processing disorder (CAPD), an often misunderstood problem. CAPD is misunderstood because many of the behaviors noted above may also appear in other conditions such as learning disability (LD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD), and even depression. Symptoms of CAPD can range from mild to severe, and can take many different forms. Trained professionals, such as speech-language pathologists and audiologists who specialize in CAPD, can determine if your child has a central auditory processing disorder.

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