DAVIE, Fla. (WPEC) -- New numbers in this year show that 55% of Florida 3rd graders are at proper reading level for their age.
While that's a little better than last year, it still means almost half of students aren't where they should be.
That's an issue I've been looking into for years now, and there are a multitude of reasons why so many of our kids can't read. But lately CBS12 has been hearing something new - about an issue with the connection between the ears and the brain.
Finding out a child has Auditory Processing Disorder, or APD, can be a tremendous relief for parents who are frustrated they can't seem to get to the bottom of their child's struggles. But getting to that diagnosis, then finding the help they need, too often proves to be an exhausting and discouraging battle.
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"When she started VPK, I realized something's going on here," Raisa says. She has asked CBS12 to not use her last name. She talking about her daughter Olivia, who she knows is bright. But she also sensed very early on, that something was a little off.
"Wimple answers like, 'Do you want pizza?' Well no, because the man across the street was walking, and then remember when we went to the mall, no mommy I don't want pizza."
Conversations with family and teachers went nowhere, because no one else saw a problem.
"Sadly, everyone told me I was crazy. That there was nothing wrong with her. She was vibrant, she was happy she always volunteered. She did her work, she raised her hand, she was the first one to finish everything."
But Raisa couldn't shake the feeling something wasn't right. So, she and Olivia spent years meeting with experts, only to be frustrated by the lack of answers.
That was until a coworker suggested Raisa look into Auditory Processing Disorder, or APD.
Dr. Leah Light has been studying and treating APD for decades.
Basically, she explains, it means the brain doesn't process sound correctly. "They hear it, but it's not clear," says Dr. Light. "It's muddied so it makes it difficult for them to understand certain words or sometimes they don't even know somebody's talking to them - especially when there's a lot of background noise. I think that a lot of these kids are being diagnosed with add, because they don't even know somebody's talking to them."
Dr. Light says if kids with APD aren't looking directly at someone when they're talking, it's almost impossible for them to comprehend what's being said.
"They notoriously have trouble with reading, reading comprehension, so some of them can decode - 'well the boy rode his bike across the street', and you say, 'that was great, reading nice and smooth, what was that sentence about?' And the kid goes - 'I don't know, I have to read it again."
So, patients, like Olivia, are given exercises to focus on certain sounds in headphones. Some types of physical therapy can help as well, training patients to use both sides of their brain to decode what they're hearing.
Light estimates that about 20% of kids have APD. But far fewer than 5% are getting help for it. That's partly because, it's almost impossible to find help. Dr. Light doesn't know anyone in all of Palm Beach County treating APD.
Raisa and Olivia came up from Miami to go to Dr. Light's office in Davie.
Unfortunately, insurance does not cover the sessions - and treatment can run two to three thousand dollars.
But Raisa says it is worth it to have finally gotten her daughter the help she needs.
"There are thousands of kids that probably have the same situation that my daughter does," says Raisa. "And they're misdiagnosed, or their parents settle for whatever their doctor might say they have or what the teacher might recommend. And that might not be the case for them."
"Some of these kids are falling through the cracks," adds Dr. Light. "And it's just like, it breaks my heart to see what's going on with them, because they're so being mislabeled and diagnosed, and parents don't really know what to do with them."
"If your gut is telling you something completely different than the information you're hearing from the doctor, go with your gut," says Raisa.
Dr. Light has tried to get into Broward County schools to help diagnose students who may have APD. But that has not been successful.
Meanwhile at Olivia's school outside of Miami, her teacher agreed to wear a small microphone that transmits to headphones she wears. Both provided by the district.
A representative from the Palm Beach County School district told me they do conduct APD screenings by their audiologist, and will help with sound amplification systems for students who require them. But it's important to know - an APD screening must be requested. In St. Lucie County Schools, screenings for APD can be completed by speech pathologists or a school psychologist. Indian River County Schools told me they do not screen for APD.
But it's important to know, teachers don't always know what to look for. APD can present like ADHD, or a child constantly not being able to follow directions. Dr. Light says, you can call an audiologist, and ask specifically for an auditory processing disorder test - not "just to get their ears checked." You have to be specific.
If you have more story ideas, or would like to like more information about literacy issues in our area, reach out to Matt Lincoln, at [email protected].