People with auditory processing disorder (APD) have a hard time hearing small sound differences in words. Someone says, "Please raise your hand," and you hear something like "Please haze your plan." You tell your child, "Look at the cows over there," and they may hear, "Look at the clown on the chair."

APD, also known as central auditory processing disorder, isn't hearing loss or a learning disorder. It means your brain doesn't "hear" sounds in the usual way. It's not a problem with understanding meaning.

People of all ages can have APD. It often starts in childhood, but some people develop it later. Between 2% and 7% of kids have it, and boys are more likely to have it than girls. The disorder can lead to learning delays, so kids who have it may need a little extra help in school.

APD may be linked to other things that cause similar symptoms. In fact, it may be part of the reason some people have dyslexia. And some experts think children are sometimes diagnosed with ADHD when they actually have APD.

Flag designed by Dash, using a common symbol for hearing, combined with a question mark.

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