Auditory Memory / Auditory Processing.......

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Hi, Can anyone explain what the difference is between Auditory Memory and Auditory Processing. My son is 10 years old and has been under SENCO / SA plus since he started school. Originally we were told he has Speech and language difficulties and has been under a SLT since the age of 4 years old. However his progress at school has been very slow and he is still 3 and in some areas 5 years behind his peers. He has seen paediatricians and 2 years ago an EP, who has ruled out ASD but we were never given any kind of DX, just to continue seeing the SLT. Surely after 5 years we would be seeing some kind of progress. Due to Government cutbacks they stopped his SLT and after alot of arguing we have now managed to get a locum assigned to him for how long who know's. However in the meantime we privately hired a SLT and she assessed him to have Auditory / working memory disorder where after testing his age equivalent score was 5 years 5 months, word finding was 4 years and 11 months. Then the locum thinks he may have an Auditory Processing disorder, I have left messages for an explaination as this was in a report. I am confused as when you research both there are differencies and I do not want to spend alot of money on therapies / programmes for APD such as Johansen IA etc if I should be going down another route. I am so confused as what to do as 5 years on we haven't really had a proper DX and we just plod along hoping one day everything clicks into place for him. I am worried about his move next year to secondary school as he is so far behind his peers in the classroom, except for maths (not written equations though). I just wish someone could just tell me what's the matter with him so I can help, I am now going down the route of him seeing the paed / EP again through referals from the school armed with this new information. Can an audiologist give me a more confirmed DX and rule out APD for example.
Sorry to ramble on.
Thanks for reading.

I think my head is about to explode from reading this thread :)
My DS - 6yrs has fairly bad ADD as one of his ASD symptoms. You have to say something a goof few times sometimes to even get s response. He gets distracted very easily. SLT yesterday didn't think there was any main issues with his speech and no therapies she could suggest other than visual/word routines and social stories. He's a brilliant reader, understands what he us reading, brilliant imagination and if you start him talking.. well, you have to wait a while for him to stop :)
Is his attention issue ADD or APD or AMD? Should I be asking for hearing tests and referrals on top of his SLT & OT?
Thanks

Thank you dolfrog that is really helpful info I will pass it on. I may also ring the APD helpline at some point as things progress for my DD.

Beautiful girls I think that my DD's playgroup is doing similar and when she moves to school in septemeber she will have a support worker who will prepare her for group stuff beforehand with viual props. They use pictures and makaton signing with her too.

Also as the assessment we had was so good the specialist s and l impairment service are advising the school on ways to support her based on that so almost on the assumption she has APD I think.

Has your DD1 got a s and l therapist? Our new one seems quite good although the aim seems to be to back out gradually and let the TA do the therapy which is ok if the TA is as good as her present keyworker but a scary thought if not!

She sees a private SALT and I am fighting for NHS therapy with her. They should be coming into school and helping the TA to understand how best to help her but that is a whole long story and it is not happening right now. It is frustrating as school are willing but they are not getting the outside support. We are in the process of applying for a statement to try and get things formalised now.

We are in the process of applying for a statement too, exhausting isn't it?! My DD also has a genetic condition so lots of appointments and procedures so for a long while they thought her "delays" were due to that. The good thing about that though is it all gets taken seriously as she already is known to services iyswim.

Good that the school are willing, DD's seems to be too and they are honest about potential problems which I find reassuring-much better that they think it through not assume she'll be ok. We have no lang unit here which is why DD is on the intensive outreach programme with s an l therapy. I am sceptical about it replacing the need for langauge units but am impressed by how thourough it is. Wonder whether your area has similar? We are in oxfordshire.

reading this post with interest my dd2 has had problems that we noticed since 2 and half, had many paed apointments and SALT. having changed schools now getting some where (she's now 7) but it is such a slow process and she is falling further and further behind. she's about to finish year 2 and has just begun to read and write and I wondered if anyone can give any advice on how to speed up this process? Her last SALT appointment has mentioned Auditory Memory Difficulties and she has a SALT coming into school tomorrow. I really want to help her as she is now realising she isn't quite the same as her peers which is upsetting her alot. If I have to write/call numerous people to assist I will. Any advice please of where we go and how to move the diagnosis/help for her along would be great.

Has anyone got any further updates re:APD. I got my daughter assessed recently after hearing a consultant talk and recognised the signs. Now awaiting the report as was told she probably does has some elements of APD but due to her speech delays it's hard to say for definite. She did advise trial of FM system but because we were out of area she's going to provide me with some contacts.

My dd has had history of glue ear and normal hearing and years of SLT (from various nhs and private) but slow progress. I know shes bright but is falling further behind at school. She has an ehp in place but I'm lost at to who would co-ordinate the approach! If it wasn't for me she would've discharged from SLT