Auditory Neuropathy & Auditory Dyssynchrony Information

This website was developed in an effort to provide access to information about Auditory Neuropathy and Auditory Dyssynchrony to the parents of children diagnosed with this unusual hearing disorder. Auditory Neuropathy, referred to as AN, is a confusing diagnosis that has sparked conflict among professionals in the field of audiology. Auditory Dyssynchrony (AD),is a newer name for this diagnosis and possibly a separate type of problem. More research is being conducted to try and determine if there are two separate disorders.

Because AN/AD is not a typical hearing loss, it is misunderstood by many audiologists, speech language pathologists, and teachers of the deaf. Many parents of children diagnosed with AN have received conflicting information and advice about diagnosis, management, and recommendations as to which mode of communication they should use with their children. Unfortunately, after eleven years of personal experience with various professionals and this diagnosis, I continue to hear similar stories from parents in various stages of diagnosis and treatment.

As parents, it becomes difficult to decide which path to follow with our children, especially with all the disagreement among professionals. We must become case managers, advocates,and educators for our children. We must educate ourselves about this disorder called Auditory Neuropathy and Auditory Dyssynchrony, so that we can educate others, including many professionals that work with hearing impaired children. We must fight for what we feel our children need to be productive and happy individuals.

I encourage parents and professionals to continue researching AN/AD in order to provide the best possible outcomes for our children. Seminars for professionals are being held throughout the world to promote and encourage understanding of the disorder and it's management. More lectures are needed to address the needs of parents. Remember, if we work together we can accomplish wonderful things!

If my efforts in developing this site can help one family currently struggling with this diagnosis, it will be a success in my eyes. My hope is that I, as the parent of a child diagnosed with auditory neuropathy, can build an information network to provide education and support to others who are feeling lost and alone in the world of Auditory Neuropathy or Auditory Dyssynchrony