Auditory Figure-Ground
Monday, November 29th, 2004
Ability to attend to one sound against a background of sound (e.g., hearing the teacher’s voice against classroom noise) .
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how frequently does this show up as part of a greater diagnosis such as add or asperger syndrome?
I think it shows up in certain kinds of ADD.
I can tell you with total certainty that this is a real problem for me. If my wife and I are sitting too close to another table in a restaurant I find it near impossible to tune out their conversation, no matter how scintilating ours is. I also find it extremely difficult to read anything serious with any background noise that is more than just a plane engine.
Well this is the most dismal looking discussion forum I’ve ever seen, but I’m desperate to get some info on the ‘figure ground’ auditory hearing problem and how adults are meant to deal with it. I was hoping there would be more info on the net than I’ve found so far.
I was having learning difficulties as a young kid at school and my folks took me to a hearing specialist who diagnosed me with a ‘figure ground auditory hearing problem.’ They gave advice that I should always sit up the front of the class, and that if the teachers wanted me to learn that they would need to clarify that I understood, and get me to repeat the info, especially with verbal instructions, because with verbal instructions I guess, its most crucial that you catch every single word, or else the rest doesn’t make sense. Of course this didn’t happen, and my education suffered. This hearing problem I believe may have contributed to an impoverished early learning experience and now I have trouble listenting to and understanding verbal instructions. I think I just haven’t developed the listening part of my brain as well as I would have if listening had been a rewarding activity during my childhood. My hearing may have improved, but now the problem is mental as well.
All I seem to find on the net on this problem is books for kids. What about adults?
I’ve mentioned the problem to employers before and they have not understood, or not believed me. I don’t blame them. Its a vague kind of difficulty, and if people are lazy, and don’t get it, they’ll either talk to you loudly, or interpret it that you’re retarded and give up on you. I just made a major error at work with my new boss, and I’m trying to think of a way of telling her my hearing situation without making her think I’m just stupid and won’t be able to do my job. I guess I am retarded, only I’m fine once the information is in my head. Its getting it in there in the first place that is the problem. I am a university student who gets mainly high distinctions (top marks). But I sometimes miss really obvious information.
I hope some more people show up on this forum soon.
Well, there’s my story.
Adios
Jane: I think the reason this “discussion forum” looks dismal to you is because it’s not a discussion forum.
At this site, almost every piece of information can be commented on. You chose to comment on one of the terms we have in our glossary. Some people simply use the glossary to look up a term and leave no comment.
You’re right, most of the information one finds on the web dealing with this and other issues seems to be aimed at kids, not adults. That’s because more research is done with kids, because kids with problems are more easily identified in school and because many adults hide their problems.
Adults with any kind of learning issue have the toughest problems of all yet are given the least amount of attention. Thanks for your comment.
Jane,
I will let you know that I know many well educated folks with a lot of experience who frequent this website. You never know you might get someone to respond. Richard for one “knows his stuff” and is well respected in the field. Hang in there you might get another response. You may find the same accommodations will be needed as an adult as when you were a child. Your disability is a hidden one (when a person looks at you they don’t see anything wrong) so self advocacy is most likely your best bet. I would just tell your boss about it (as you wrote here) that way he or she will know and won’t think of you as you described. If they don’t understand then I would consider changing jobs.
Good luck.
Wow Jane, and it’s father’s day too. Thanks.
Good to see (if not hear) other AFG sufferers. I compensate for this well but it is not bad enough for all people to take me seriously.
Can we share coping techniques
Margaret
Australia
Who tests for Auditory figure - ground problems? My son has excellent, way above average, aud. comprehension (of course tested in a quiet room). He manages at school academically and gets all the info, but to watch him — it is painful. He sits in the front, but he wiggles, hums and looks like he is about to crawl out of his skin. He is always in trouble for disruptive behavior. I know he has this auditory problem along with ADHD and that he is getting overwhelmed and overstimulated by his inability to work out the figure ground stuff. My search directed me straight to this part of the website, so I will look around it more, but would appreciate suggestions if there are immediate things we could do to help — I am afraid patience is wearing thin at his (private) school.
From what I can tell, audiologists who specialize in diagnosing CAPD can “test” for specific figure-ground problems.
Maybe this website will be helpful, since it includes some good links as well as lots of information about Central Auditory Processing:
http://www.judithpaton.com
Washington State University has a audio seminar regarding CAPD I recently heard this presentation and they do assessments etc of all things auditory.
They suggested the following compensatory procedures: buy a “Musicians Filter” an in the ear device with a universal fit which can be purchased at Music stores. It acts to filter out background noise. The use of personal fm systems and or sound field amplification systems for classrooms are also a great thing to request for classroom style instruction. When you know you have missed something ask for repetition of the parts you missed or copy of the notes/outline
Correction: Washington State University Auditory Processing Disorders Clinic in Spokane, Washington John Hasbrouk Ph.D.,CCC,SLP and Jeffrey Nye M.S., CCC-Aud direct the collaborative clinic I mentioned above.
Thanks Cindy.
I am eighteen years old and got diagnosed with a central auditory processing disorder just last year. School was nearly impossible, and the workplace was just as bad. I have troubles in the areas of auditory figure ground, sequencing, memory, divided attention, mild word retrieval, and ADD. I take online classes and make nearly straight A’s–it is a good method for the hard-of-hearing. I also have tried an auditory retraining program called The Listening Program, which works wonders–unfortunately, none of which have lasted over 2 weeks. Supposedly the older you get, the longer it takes for it to have pernament results. I am also pursuing Brainbuilder, for 20 minutes a day. If any of you know of any retraining methods/programs which have proven successful, please tell me.
Kathryn: Great that you’re trying various things and getting results, even if short term.
A few things to consider:
No method or technique will give you instant results or even results in a few weeks. Most methods of learning take a while to show results and then, only if you practice them diligently. The diligent part it sounds like you have licked (and that’s the hard part, good for you) and it’s just a matter of extending the time and finding the right set of things to do so that you can make steady, long-term progress.
I remember learning how to touch type. I learned in the very early days of computers (1984) although I had a computer in 1979 and got very good at hunting and pecking.
I got a piece of software and used it every day: ran through its exercises, etc. and I did improve. But, it wasn’t until I made the shift and touch typed everything: email, letters, essays, articles, etc. that I made real progress.
The idea is that whatever “training” you do needs to be incorporated into the rest of your life so that you’re not just doing the training, then going back to old habits when you do reading and writing out of the training context.
So, if you use a phonemic approach to decode words that are new to you in training, you need to find a way to support that when you’re doing all sorts of writing.
Lastly, the key to learning how to write well is to write more. There is no magic technique or method here, just immersion in moving from brain to print as many times as possible. Given your diligence, I’d say you’ll do fine. Keep posting comments here, send more emails, keep a journal (or blog) and just keep writing. The more you do, the easier it will become and you’ll find small ways of working through problems.
Thanks for your post and keep us informed as to your progress.
I can touch type, when in practice. I am thinking that maybe sometime I can use it, since dividing the auditory and visual modalities, for tasks such as note-taking, is very near impossible. Is that what you are suggesting? My auditory problems don’t have anything to do with my writing skills.
Kathryn: I was just using touch typing as an example of the idea of not just practicing reading, writing, typing, or anything out of the context of doing real work, but, try to practice whatever it is you’re trying to learn by doing real work with it.
If you’re learning how to touch type, touch type everthing. If you’re learning how to read in a particular way, for instance, by sounding out words you don’t know, try to use that technique a lot, even on words you do know.
Initially it will be awkward and will slow you down but eventually things will speed up. Maybe things won’t get as fast as you’d like, but they’ll get faster than they are now, just from practice.
From my experience and reading, auditory processing disorder/dyslexia affects both decoding (reading) and encoding (writing). Maybe not equally or the same amount in everyone, but it certainly affects my writing, my ability to remember spellings of words that are difficult for me. I don’t worry about it anymore and I use a computer and write quite fast and know how to use the tools on my computer to help me (I hope) so it doesn’t bother me much anymore. It used to though and I can relate.
Oh, and notetaking is very hard for almost everyone as you’re listening, understanding, and writing at the same time. I can hardly do it myself. My method, for better or worse, is to use a tape recorder or a digital voice recorder but also write down all the key words the lecturer is using so that when I’m later listening to the tape I’ll know the words to listen for. I can then rewind the tape to re-listen to what those key words actually mean.
Richard,
I get what you are implying now. Yes, I’d agree that trying to apply what I am learning into real life would be an excellent idea.
I’ll let you know if any of the programs work out.
Kathryn: Great, I’ll look forward to your report, good, bad, or any commentary at all. Short of direct experience (me), reading about the direct experience of others (you) is always useful for people who track this web site. Thanks.
Totally off the subject of previous postings, I just wanted to pass this information on. I am 31 years old now, an was diagnosed with Auditory Figure Ground Disorder when I was about 28 years old by the most wonderful speech therapist I have ever met. When she told me what I had, and I said finally someone has an answer for me… now, what do I do about it? She responded as if this was a simple solution. She recommended a program called Visualizing and Verbalizing, by Nanci Bell. The program is taught by Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes and workshops are open to parents, teachers and therapists. The website is http://www.lblp.com. There is also information on other speech related disorders on this web site. I like this program. I worked with my SLP for several months on it before returning to my graduate school program to finish my internships. I am now a practicing Occupational Therapist and doing well in my profession. I am planning on taking this course myself so that I can work with all my school kids who have similar language comprehension problems. I hope this information has been as helpful to you as it was for me.
Just getting back about the therapy programs I am doing. The Listening Program still is not working, which is quite frustrating. The problem with the program is that you can only do it for 30 minutes a day–no more, no less. If out of a week, you don’t pay attention, or have any sort of setback, such as going to a loud concert, or movie, or getting sick, you have to start the week over. The program is very inflexible and lasts for usually about twenty weeks plus. (You have to do it twice to see lasting changes).
However, I have noted change with the cheap, $50 program called Brainbuilders. Unless I am experiencing the placebo effect, I believe my auditory sequential memory has improved. This can be purchased at advancedbrain.com.
I am interested in trying Auditory Integration Training and eithier Earobics/Fastforward. After and if I do these, I will come back here and discuss results.
Does the visualizing and verbalizing program help with auditory figure ground, or is it merely a coping strategy?
Hi,
My daughter has just turned 6, and is entering her first formal yr of schooling here in SOUTH AFRICA, grade 1.
She is the youngest in her class, turning 7 at the end of grade 1 in Dec. (In SA, the law says children may only enter grade 1 in the yr they turn 7), but for my daughter, unforntunately, she turns 7 right at the end, leaving her to be the youngest in her group.
I adopted her as a baby, and due to the stress of the adoption process over the past 6 yrs, and lack of finality, she has her own emotional issues surrounding the her self identity, which has, in turn led to her being, in my opinion (both professionally as a teacher, as well as her mom), to be slightly behind in maturity.
Of late, say in the past 6-9 months I have noticed that she does not cope with being able to concentrate on one particular thing when other background things are lurking as a distraction. Being a teacher i luckily was a aware of the auditory figure ground perception problems that occur. I have taken her for therapy, which lasted only 6 weeks before the therapist told me, she was a bright, fast learning little girl, who had mastered all her milestones with above average accuracy, and that there was absolutely no need for her to be in therapy. I was relieved.
However, despite knowing how bright she is, I still foresee a huge problem that may affect her learning potential in the long run, as I still see her struggling to process stimuli accordingly.
She cannot listen to me in the car when the radio is on in the background. She becomes exceptionally frustrated, shouts at me to turn it off, and then unbuckles herself, to come forward to pull my face towards her, so she can focus on what i am saying, as the noise of cars passing us, also prevents her from being able to concentrate and process what i am saying. If my hubby and I are talking to her in conversation, and we happen to say something together at the same time, she completely loses it with us, telling us to speak one at a time, and then nominates who she wishes to listen to first. She struggles to do an activity if the tv, or radio is on lightly in the background, and she tends to get grumpy and frustrated and angry at her inability to perform.
My fear is that in the schooling environment, things are never going to be silent for her to perform at her best.
What i need are some practical tools and tips to assist me in getting her through this, and assisting her to cope with it….
any suggestions????