Today in understanding neurodiversity: Auditory Processing Disorders
My approach: chaotic.
APDs are all about processing not sensory input. So many of us are quite good at low processing comms like radio, calling dispatch, underground radio etc. And bad at other audio only setups.
Because I am, like many people with APD, also blessed with hypersensitive hearing, I’m actually better at radios in wind and background noise than most.
Why is that an important distinction? I’m not Deaf but I have to lipread when conditions are bad. And I can still turn around and operate the radio well. That’s not mutually exclusive.
“But why can you operate a radio then, Claire? Shouldn’t you be worse at that than most people?”
Funny you ask…
Radio is easy. Why?
It follows a very simple system.
The number of things that can be said are predictable.
People speak clearly and don’t mumble.
The turn taking is verbal and explicit (“over”).
Backchannelling is verbal and explicit (“copy”).
Asking for clarification is considered good form.
There is no social bonding aspect.
There is a very strong emphasis on maximum distinction (“niner” for 9).
It’s short.
“So you do phone calls well then?”
🤣🤣🤣 No.
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