National Coalition of Auditory Processing DisordersAPD Stories
- Megan Muehlberg has been named Teen Volunteer of 2011/2012/2013 for helping spread the word for the NCAPD and for speaking to parents, teens, teachers and doctors about the diagnosis and treatment of the learning disorder. For information on speaking with Megan from a teen's perspective, see the bottom of this page.
Megan was diagnosed with APD in the second grade. She is now a tenth grade student in a very large public school. She is an ambassador trying to educate people on what APD is, how to diagnose, early intervention and how to treat. She worked with former-Governor Tim Pawlenty to have April 4th Minnesota's APD Awareness Day.
Megan asked for another Auditory Processing Disorder Awareness proclamation; only this time it was for the month of October. She worked again with former Governor Tim Pawlenty in the state of Minnesota to get this recognition. An article was written in Access Press, a Minnesota Disability Community newspaper in November of 2010.
REFERENCES
DON'T YOU GET IT? LIVING WITH AUDITORY LEARNING DISABILITIES: A GUIDE FORPARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS DR. JAY LU8KER, DR. LORAINE ALDERMAN
AND HARVEY EDELL
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) affects as many as 5 percent of children. It has been called a "hidden disability" because it is often mistaken for everything from odd behavior and deafness to other disorders such as ADHD or sometimes even autism. It is none of those things. It is a processing problem, considered a learning disability, where the child (or adult) is unable to integrate information that is spoken to them. It can be a very debilitating disorder affecting the child in many aspects of life, from academics to peer relationships. And many children and adults have the disorder and don't even realize. Don't You Get It? Living With Auditory Learning Disabilities: A Guide for Parents and Professionals was written by three experts in the field, led by educator and speech-language pathologist Dr. Jay Lucker, along with Dr. Loraine Alderman, a school psychologist, and Harvey Edell, a former teacher. And all three co-authors have APD. The book is filled with important information about the disorder, but even more so, it gives several real-life accounts on how APD actually manifests itself. The book also addresses the inherited nature of APD, through the intergenerational stories by Edell, his daughter Alderman and Alderman's teenage son Andrew. This is an important book to read if your child often asks "What?" or just doesn't seem to "get it." And Lucker is one of the most respected sources when it comes to this disorder, so you shouldn't pass up any opportunity to read what he has to say. To order the book, leave your phone number on pager: 516-651-2003, or e-mail Dr. Lucker at [email protected] to obtain information on how to order an autographed copy of the book.
