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How I Found Out I Had a Learning Disability

My Life with Central Auditory Processing Disability

By Juliana PedriPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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A learning disability is not who I am, but what I have.

All my life, I thought I was normal. I thought I was just like everyone else, when in fact, I was not. I was different. I processed things differently than my peers. It took me longer to remember things, and to repeat back instructions. I was held back a grade without really understanding why, except that I needed to improve my social skills. I was always put in front of the class room for lectures, and always sat at a certain side of the room. I always mistook the word a friend said to a word I thought they said. I'd repeated back sentences that didn't make sense out loud to the person in front of me, which in return, they always gave me quizzical looks. Sometimes they'd laugh and say, "Noo! That's not what I said at all!" I always had to ask, "What? Huh? Can you repeat that?" many times within a lecture or story being told. I got frustrated not knowing what's going on and why I always felt different than everyone around me.

This all didn't make sense until I was a senior in high school, ready to graduate and go to college. I was sitting at the kitchen table with my family talking about our childhood—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Within this discussion, I learned that my bunny rabbit named Lauren didn't run away... in fact, she was let loose by one of my parents. If you thought that was difficult to muster, try learning that you had a learning disability for your whole life without knowing about it.

The learning disability was Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD). Basically, CAPD is when an individual has trouble processing what they are hearing. I like to make the comparison of dyslexia. Dyslexia according to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary is a variable often familial learning disability involving difficulties in acquiring and processing language that is typically manifested by a lack of proficiency in reading, spelling, and writing. Thus, CAPD is the same thing, except with having difficulty in reading, spelling, and writing, you have difficulty with words and sounds you perceive.

Central auditory processing disorder according to Merriam-Webster's is a disorder that is marked by a deficit in the way the brain receives, differentiates, analyzes, and interprets auditory information (as speech) and that is not attributable to impairments in peripheral hearing or intellect.

Thus, I like to say to my friends, family, and peers who ask what CAPD is, I say, "It's like dyslexia! But with processing information." And they sometimes understand right away, but then I go deeper and explain a bit more of what CAPD is. But generally, the first phrase said above works wonders.

In college, I went to my audiologist teacher and asked her if she can run tests to see if I still have CAPD. I did this, because I was unsure if I still had CAPD or if it was a myth. To my surprise, I was tested positive. There was a 20 year difference from my first test, so learning that I still had this disability was impressive and made me realize that I have this learning disability for the rest of my life.

After going through all the tests (which took about three sessions if I remember correctly), having the confirmation of the tests coming out positive, and learning more about this disability I felt more comfortable that the myth was in fact, true.

This opened up many doors for getting help with school, having deep conversations with audiologists, peers, and family, and learning more about myself and the reasons why I do the things I do.

"A learning disability is not who I am, it's what I have."

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About the Creator

Juliana Pedri

A soon-to-be college graduate who wants to tell the world her experiences with learning disability in hopes to let people know they're not alone.

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