For years, we used to explain to folks that we experienced a phonological delay in processing speech or sounds, and that it was likely linked to us being autistic.

We only later worked out that we're actually AuDHD (inattentive ADHD and autistic) and that there's an actual medical term for this: auditory processing disorder.

If you're some flavour of neurospicy, you might have it too without realising. Common signs and symptoms include:

  • speaking louder or softer than is situationally appropriate;
  • difficulty remembering lists or sequences;
  • needing words or sentences to be repeated;
  • impaired ability to memorize information learned by listening;
  • interpreting words too literally;
  • needing assistance to hear clearly in noisy environments;
  • relying on accommodation and modification strategies;
  • finding or requesting a quiet work space away from others;
  • requesting written material when attending oral presentations; and
  • asking for directions to be given one step at a time.

It heavily overlaps with ADHD and autism β€‹ β€‹

Hope this is helpful to someone β€‹

#ActuallyAutistic #ActuallyADHD #ActuallyAuDHD #ADHD #AuDHD #autistic #autism #neurodivergent #neurodivergence #neurospicy #APD #AuditoryProcessingDisorder

Auditory processing disorder - Wikipedia

@SleepyCatten For most of my life I thought I just had bad hearing, but after finding out about Autism and friends, I realised a large (but not all) of it is auditory processing disorder (or at least auditory processing issues).
@SleepyCatten
What? ... Ah, now I got it
@SleepyCatten Yes, that's me. Explain something to me verbally and I fully understand it. Just to forget all about it two minutes later. πŸ₯Ί
@SleepyCatten yeah, I have that as well. I also have confirmed ADHD. Maybe a bit of autism too, but that's not confirmed.

Song lyrics are also really hard to process for me if they're not very very clearly pronounced. One of the reasons I mostly listen to instrumental music.
@SleepyCatten hold on, my friends always make fun of me for not understanding anything in noisy environments, even though I have pretty good hearing.
Might I have ADHD too??

@snowycoder It's not something we would be able to tell you, but it's certainly worth investigating.

An amazing site called Embrace Autism also has some amazing resources on ADHD, AuDHD, and the similar traits.

There are also lots of neurospicy creators on YouTube and TikTok.

Embrace Autism | The ultimate autism resource

Embrace Autism is THE place to find research & experience-based autism content for personal elucidation & empowerment. By autistic people, for autistic people.

Embrace Autism
@SleepyCatten thanks, I also follow a lot of ADHD creators on youtube, unfortunately getting an adult ADHD exam in Italy is really, really expensive :(

@snowycoder If it helps, self-diagnosis is always valid, both for autism and ADHD β€‹

It won't allow you access to any ADHD medication, but it might help you to learn more about yourself, accept the differences you have, and learn strategies to deal with areas where you struggle.

@SleepyCatten is this related to the many occasions when someone says something, I ask β€œpardon?”, and then before they can repeat themselves I’ve realised what they said and respond
@SleepyCatten Throughout my life, I've had a lot of these symptoms. Combined with how it takes a while to process what people say to me, and I feel like it explains a lot... time to explain this to my co-workers who always expect an immediate response from me when they ask me something
@SleepyCatten Very, very helpful. I needed all of this, long before I ever discovered #AutisticMe I got through school with a lot of 'faking it', when oral was all that was offered.