Does anyone else suffer with auditory processing problems?

[Rosexoxo]

I have had my hearing checked on multiple occasions over the years and apparently my ability to hear sounds is perfectly normal for my age.
It is just so strange that if I am in an environment with any background sound (eg in a coffee shop) , I really struggle to hear a conversation. I am often conscious that no one else seems to be having any problems hearing.

When I am eating, I can't hear the TV properly due to the sound of my chomping.
Does anyone else have this? I have been like it from childhood. I find it so tiring to meet up with people in busy places, due to the effort involved trying to follow what they are saying against background noise.

My friend has DLD - developmental language disorder and they are like this.

It's dyslexia for the ears apparently.

Yes. I had glue ear/ perforated ear drums as a small child and I think I learned to lip read partially when picking up language. As a result I can clearly hear what people say but need to see their mouth in order to properly process what is being said.
It can be particularly difficult at work where we use masks.
I find it difficult when people are very monotone because I rely on intonation to work out if they are asking a question. Equally it’s difficult following someone who has had Botox or lip fillers because it makes lip reading difficult and I rely on facial cues such as eyebrow movement when questions are asked.

Me also

Dh has auditory proceeding disorder. It's diagnosed by a battery of complex tests with special equipment and there are some aids that can help. He also struggled with things like foreign accents which is characteristic if the disorder too and his speed of understanding down word is very slow( and frustrating for me) as well as having the issues with background noise you describe. They're is a strong overlap between APD and ASD although they can exist separately.
Have a look at the work out professor Doris bamiou who is considered to be the expert in the condition, she had done interesting research, she prescribes sensory hearung aids if the conditions gets too severe and interferes with daily abilities.

I haven't always been like this. I used to 'see' speech as print in my mind's eye - apparently about 10% of people do this - and it disappeared as my fatigue increased. I miss it ... but at least Netflix replaces that for me!

I have both where I can hear several conversations at once or not hear anything at all but I'm autistic

I have this, ticker tape synesthesia, and until a chance conversation about five years ago I assumed it was how everyone heard. I'm 37 and no idea most people didn't see every word form in front of them as they speak or hear others speak!

Interestingly I have since realised that the reason I struggle like the OP with background noise is because I see every single word I can hear, including song lyrics and baby babble. If there is too much at once the lines get confused so while I can in theory hear what people are saying to me, I can't process which set of visual words it is and so can't "hear".

Really hard to explain but does explain why tests say my hearing is fine but it's really not in certain situations!

(yes, to no one's surprise I am diagnosed ADHD 😂)

Yes I have this I just can’t distinguish speech in a noisy environment I was the fool going “ what did you say every 5 mins” I still enjoy gigs but my DH and friends know not to bother making conversation with me. Workwise I can’t cope in an open plan office as I can’t filter out other conversations, I would have to wear headphones all the time which I would hate. I had the full range of audiology testing and my hearing is just fine I just have this processing issue, apparently you can train yourself to get better at it though. The audiologist gave me a CD to practice with but I haven’t noticed much difference I just work around it. I’m neuro typical as far as I know.

Yes and ND.

However mine started after an awful ear infection in both ears years ago. I couldn't hear in the pubs for example, I don't go to pubs often anymore, but if I'm somewhere with background noise then no, I can't hear.

This was about 20 years ago. My GP told me I'm lip reading more than I know, and I still find now that I can't hear someone in a mask ie dentist last week if I can't see their mouth.

Kids always noticed over the years due to the Tele volume 🤣 Mums gone deaf again.

That said, I haven't had a hearing test, I probably can't hear! Anyone that knows me understands why I would be staring at their though whilst listening.

*staring at their mouth.

Not staring at their - insert random body part 🤣

Yes, I have noticed that I struggle with accents and song lyrics much more than others. I once worked in Stroke rehab where people had difficulties with speech following strokes. Needless to say I was unable to understand anything the patients said and had to rely on the OT Assistant to act as an interpreter.

Hi OP
in a rush but I've got a hearing disorder called SSCD (type that plus ear into Google). I can hear myself blinking, cannot focus in conversations if there is background music on. Basically was told I have super sonar hearing so I hear everything at once.
PM me if you've got questions

Yes, I know what you mean about fixating on when I can't hear every word clearly. DH is perfectly fine if he hears the gist of what people are saying. Me, not so much. I panic if I can't hear every word fully and then this reduces my ability to listen effectively.

Yes, like several pp I'm also autistic.

Telephone calls are worse. I noticed once that someone had left a voice message on my phone. Tried picking it up but I was outside, not a noisy environment but there were people talking.
Absolute silence so thought that someone had called me and decided to hang up when the phone went to voicemail.
Checked voicemail again a few days later. I happened to be at the supermarket but this time I was wearing headphones which blocked off much of the external noise.
Turned out that the original message hadn't been silence after all. I could hear the caller's voice perfectly.

I have this and I reckon it's getting worse with age. I really struggle with distinguishing voices in places with a lot of background noise. At home I get really irritated by the fan. And things like my husband running his hand over his stubble when we are sat watching tv drive me crazy but I know that's unreasonable so I have to apologise when asking him to stop. I use subtitles a lot. In recent years ive taken to almost constantly wearing AirPods not turned on, as a subtle type of ear defender.

I am similar with light. Have always worn sunglasses even when it's just a bit bright, not sunny. I only like lamps on, hate the main light. I set all my screens to warm or night mode even in the day, and hate blue-white xmas lights.

It's only as a parent of ND DC (one diagnosed one not) that I now realise I am also ND. It doesn't restrict my life enough to pursue diagnosis but it's so clear to me now. Filling in the diagnosis forms for DC1 was an eye opener as so much applied to me!

I have it when eating but I know a lot of it is due to the actors trying be more natural in the delivery of their lines. I have less of a problem with period drama (rp) or soaps (shouty).

I struggle in noisy environments- restaurants and cafes.

I had multiple ear infections when young and was operated on.

My hearing is measurably worse than normal.

I'm fine with foreign languages and accents although I require time to "tune in".

Yes. ASD here. You can get loop earplugs that might help.

Yes I’m always the one to ask to put the tv volume up if I’m eating in someone else’s house. Also struggle with conversations in noisy environments. I have ADHD so don’t know if it’s to do with that.

I don’t see how the eating thing would be though as I literally can’t hear the words very well when I’m eating.

Thank you for this suggestion. Will look into this!

I do!!!

Have a look at loop earbuds, they’ve changed my life with things like this. I can hear the conversation near me (or say if I’m reading a book I can hear the pages turning) but they cut out all background noise :)

Plus I got silver and they look like pretty jewellery rather than headphones

https://www.loopearplugs.com/

Thank you for this. That is most interesting.

Yes, but I do have a feeling I am undiagnosed ND.

Yep. Autism and ADHD here.