Like Sound Through Water: A Mother's Journey Through Auditory Processing Disorder [Hardcover]

Karen J. Foli (Author), Edward M. Hallowell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2002

Ben was a bright, happy little boy. Yet he was easily distracted, he wouldn't make eye contact, and he couldn't comprehend the simplest things said to him. At age three he still hadn't started talking. Finally, Karen Foli knew she had to act, and she took her son to a speech and hearing clinic.

What the clinicians reported chilled her: Ben's speech and language were delayed by one to two years. Testing results and speech therapists suggested problems that included the words "probably retarded and perhaps autistic." But Karen, trusting her mother's intuition, knew that Ben was intelligent and that he was frustrated by his inability to communicate, so she continued to try to help her son. She discovered that he possessed the hallmarks of auditory processing disorder, the aural equivalent of dyslexia.

"Like Sound Through Water is the story of Karen's struggle to get Ben the help he needed to learn the most basic skill of all: to communicate with the world. She ran the gauntlet of medical disbelievers and pediatric therapists who refused to understand the very new ?ndings of auditory processing disorder. Even her husband, a psychiatrist specializing in children's af?ictions, had never heard of APD. Despite this, he kept a steadfast faith in his son.

Now, after years of intensive treatment for APD, Ben is an academically successful, hardworking little boy with a bright future to look forward to. "Like Sound Through Water is a testament to a mother's love and her devotion to her son's care; it is also an instructive journey for those who are discovering the world of APD and a guidebook to negotiating the land mines of its treatment. Above all, it is a beautifully written tale ofhope and optimism.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) occurs when the brain cannot process or understand correctly the sounds the ears hear, even though the ears might be functioning properly. It is rarely recognized, often misdiagnosed, and poorly understood, yet the effects can be devastating. Pocket is simultaneously releasing two complementary texts on the subject that are definitely worth some notice. Foli's Like Sound Through Water is a mother's account of her family's struggle with APD in her oldest son, Ben. Her account reads like a novel and is thoroughly engaging while providing a wealth of information. Foli clearly shows the pain misdiagnosis and clinical inaccuracies can cause. While finally obtaining a correct diagnosis brought some relief, Foli shows that the battle for normalcy had only begun. This is mostly a success story with an upbeat ending. The resource section in the back is a bonus. Bellis's When the Brain Can't Hear is the first APD sourcebook written specifically for lay readers. Bellis, the author of an important text on APD for professionals (Assessment and Management of Central Auditory Processing Disorders in the Educational Setting from Science to Practice), herself suffers from APD as the result of a car accident. Her text is naturally more clinical in nature but still quite readable. It covers the many subtypes of APD and their manifestations, diagnosis and testing, treatment options, and coping techniques. The ample glossary adds to the book's accessibility. Either of these texts would be appropriate additions to most collections, but they are best purchased together. The diagnosis of APD is seen more frequently, and with no other lay texts on the subject available, these books are absolutely essential. KellyJo Houtz Griffin, Eatonville, WA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

In the acknowledgments Foli thanks Teri J. Bellis, whose When the Brain Can't Hear [BKL F 1 02] her book complements. Foli tells a loving story, but the first half of it, about events before her son, Ben, was diagnosed with auditory processing disorder (APD), is full of frustration. Although a nurse with a Ph.D. in communication, she didn't suspect what the problem was, for neither she nor her psychiatrist husband, John, had heard of APD. Preschool, clinical, and school tests did little to clarify Ben's difficulties or indicate solutions. Both parents felt guilty for what they might have done to help Ben and how their intense care for him might have inhibited their younger son Pete's development. Lacking the proper diagnosis, they and various tutors devoted much time and effort at home and school to helping Ben. After the APD diagnosis, the therapeutic and psychological problems were much more solvable. Foli concludes the practical, heartwarming book with the observation that each APD child is different and must be treated as an individual. William Beatty
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Atria (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743421981
• ISBN-13: 978-0743421980
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,146,537 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Journey of a mother's devotion, March 1, 2002

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MyParenTime.com "myparentimesfamily" (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Like Sound Through Water: A Mother's Journey Through Auditory Processing Disorder (Hardcover)

A mother can usually sense if there is a problem with her child -- but what if the solution is not right in front of you? In this book you'll follow the personal experiences of a courageous mother, Karen Foli, and her son Ben.

The book, "Like Sound Through Water: A Mother's Journey Through Auditory Processing Disorder," by Karen Foli, allows readers to follow along on Karen's personal journey during her young son's life. You'll be there at her son's birth; read about the problems Ben has at school; and read about the numerous testing and therapy sessions. Through all of this, Karen has had her share of doubt and disappointments. She knew that Ben was different from other children -- that he wasn't developing as they were. His speech was delayed and he had trouble communicating. Despite negative test results by schools and misdiagnoses by doctors, Karen continued to look for answers. She finally found them from an audiologist, who discovered that Ben had an auditory processing disorder (APD). Ben had problems processing sounds.

MyParenTime.com highly recommends this book...the author's words speak to the reader like a close friend. It'll bring you on an emotional, personal and triumphant journey of a mother's struggle to find answers about her son. You'll understand how powerful a mother's love and devotion is, and you'll also learn a great deal about auditory processing disorder.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rare Find, March 2, 2002

By 

"rlr27" (Bloomington, IN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Like Sound Through Water: A Mother's Journey Through Auditory Processing Disorder (Hardcover)

This book is a rare find: a memoir that reads like a novel but offers so much more to the reader than a compelling story. It shows what can happen when a mother and father keep looking for the answer to the question, Why can't our son communicate with his world as other children can? Why can't he speak? Why can't he understand what is said to him?

It provides one of the best examples I've ever read of how a mother's love and belief in her child can overcome the efforts of professionals and experts to label the child, even though the label clearly doesn't fit. When I finished the book, I was filled with hope and the belief that there's so much that can be done to help these children reach their potentials.

Foli brings the reader into her home and family, unfolding the story of the journey she and her son, Ben, took to find a correct diagnosis and help. One of the things I love the most about this book is how Foli brings each event in this often difficult journey to life with sometimes painful details and often refreshingly honest humor. For example, there's a heartbreaking scene early in the book in which the child's grandfather realizes that his grandson simply doesn't understand when spoken to.

But the book is more than a memoir that I couldn't put down. It's also a firsthand account--the first one available--of what a child and family experience when a child has auditory processing disorder. I was especially interested in this because a nephew of mine has had similar difficulties communicating: garbled speech, difficulty understanding words. I really appreciated the author's detailed description of the programs and strategies that helped her son: Fast ForWord, Step 4Word, Fokes Sentence Builder, and the Lindamood-Bell LiPS programs.

Foli also provides a basic guide to auditory processing disorder in the final chapter, along with brief case studies of other children and their experiences overcoming APD. The additional resources ending the book offer a good starting place to find more information on the disorder.

All in all, this book is a refreshingly honest, well-written, and informative memoir of a mother who never, ever gave up on her son.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration for a nervous Mom of an APD child, March 12, 2002

By 

BAK (Canton, MI USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Like Sound Through Water: A Mother's Journey Through Auditory Processing Disorder (Hardcover)

Dr. Foli has crafted a book which seamlessly combines a heart-wrenching story of love and commitment, with an informative work examining the symptoms and difficulties associated with Auditory Processing Disorder. With no exaggeration, I could not put this book down once I began reading it. The similarities between Dr. Foli's son's and my own son's development were chilling - the similarities between my own feelings of guilt and grief and those so eloquently described by Dr. Foli were profound.
This book is a must-read for parents of children with APD, as well as extended family, teachers, speech therapists, and school administrators who interact with APD children. I expect that my copy of "Like Sound Through Water" will have passed through many hands by the time my son graduates (from college, magna cum laude)!