Bright Community funding helping children with auditory processing issues

Children with auditory processing disorder (APD) are benefiting from Bright Community funding.

Auditory processing disorder is a condition which affects the brain’s ability to recognise and interpret sounds, making it difficult to process what people are saying, particularly when there is background noise.

Our North Tyneside children’s occupational therapy team has successfully applied for Bright Community funding to buy five MP3 players equipped with open headphones and belt players for children with auditory and sensory processing issues.

The children use the equipment to listen to a listening therapy programme designed to stimulate the different functions of the auditory processing system to enable the brain to receive, process and store information in a more organised way.

Children’s occupational therapy technical instructor Beverley Crate said: “The headphones and belt are a great success for our children because it allows them to get the maximum benefit from the listening programme.

“The open headphones give the children the full surround sound experience which helps them to learn to distinguish not only between different sounds, but also where they are coming from. And the belt players mean they can move around freely while listening to the programme which makes it a more enjoyable experience for them.

“The children’s parents and schools have told us that the new equipment is a great improvement compared to the more restrictive equipment they had in the past.”

Bright Community is a dedicated fund which has been created specifically to provide funding exclusively for community-based initiatives, projects or equipment that directly benefits our patients. It forms part of our trust Bright Charity (Charities Commission Registration number 1083122) and receives 15% of money raised through the Staff Lottery, together with donations made by patients, service users and visitors.

Applications for Bright Community funding are allocated by the Staff Lottery Grant Allocation Group.

If you are a member of Northumbria Healthcare staff and you have an idea that can improve our community projects or facilities please complete the bid application form and email it to brightcharity@northumbria.nhs.uk. You will be asked to attend the meeting, to support the bid and answer any questions.

Individual applications will be considered up to a maximum of £1,000. For advice about larger applications please contact the Charity team. If you have any queries please contact claire.finn@northumbria.nhs.uk tel: 0191 2031511.