Auditory training is a process that involves teaching the brain to listen. People without hearing impairment and auditory processing disorders learn to listen naturally at a very young age and may not remember this process. In auditory training, people receive auditory stimuli and training that help them learn to identify and distinguish sounds. Auditory training is usually supervised by an audiologist or speech-language pathologist.
People who are hard of hearing may choose to use hearing aids or cochlear implants to improve their hearing. These devices can be used full time or part of the time, depending on the patient's preference, and the patient may choose to continue to use sign language and other communication techniques in addition to speaking. However, simply inserting an implant or hearing aid is not enough. The device must be adjusted so that the patient can hear comfortably, and the patient must learn to interpret the sounds that enter the ear. This requires auditory training, with patients listening to music, spoken words, and other auditory stimuli.
When these devices are initially installed, it can be overwhelming. An avalanche of noise enters the ear and the brain has difficulty interpreting it. Over time, auditory training allows the patient to discriminate between different sounds and attribute meaning to sounds. For example, horns evolve from loud, unpleasant noises to warning signals that alert people to dangers. Without auditory training, devices such as hearing aids are not very helpful to the patient.
People with auditory processing disorders can also benefit from auditory training. In an auditory processing disorder, hearing is functionally good, but the brain has difficulty making sense of the information. A speech-language pathologist works with the patient to help them identify sounds, distinguish them, and develop listening skills. Training of this nature can also be provided to people recovering from strokes and other injuries that impair auditory processing or damage hearing.
Some people have suggested that ear training may also be helpful for patients with autism spectrum disorders and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Although not formally endorsed by professional organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, this treatment may be an option to consider. Auditory training can help patients who are sensitized to auditory stimuli deal with the world around them and can also improve communication skills and help patients feel more comfortable in noisy environments. It is important to note that treatments such as ear training are not cures, but rather management approaches that can help people cope with their environment.