Children with auditory processing disorders (APD) display a number of symptoms. Geffner (2013) provides a summary list of 16 behaviors that are considered red flags for APD in children. Not all children with APD will display the same types of behaviors, but this list gives a good indication of what APD can look like in children.

1. A child who is doing poorly in reading, writing and spelling.
2. A child who does not pay attention in class or is daydreaming during class.
3. A child who is having problems learning a foreign language.
4. A child who can learn through the auditory channel (hearing) but does better with visual information.
5. A child who cannot write from dictation.
6. A child who mishears words.
7. A child who doesn’t participate in class discussions.
8. A child who misunderstands homework assignments or fails to follow directions.
9. A child who cannot tolerate a noisy room or who is fidgety in loud/noisy places such as the cafeteria, gym or playground.
10. A child who has trouble understanding stories read aloud or retelling the story.
11. A child that takes notes that are cryptic and insignificant.
12. A child that does not get the salient points or relevant facts.
13. A child who has trouble depicting directions that are embedded in other information.
14. A child who has math word problems.
15. A child who appears to have delayed responses to questions.
16. A child who cannot repeat a story told to him or her in sequence.