hearing problems?

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Wow, add me to the list. I've often had the feeling that my difficulty understanding people has contributed more to my social problems than all my other Asperger's symptoms put together. I'm deathly afraid of going out to a bar with people because I won't be able to understand a word anyone is saying, and I'll be left staring off into space, or else creepily staring at everyone's mouths, trying to read their lips.

I haven't seen many people talking about possible solutions, though. Has anyone tried anything? I went to an audiologist about it, but she said that a hearing aid wouldn't be very helpful since the problem was neurological, not physical, and my actual ability to hear was in the normal range.

Lip reading doesn't really feel like it helps, but I know it must because it's even harder to understand when I can't see their lips. I hate to resort to that, though, because I usually try really hard to maintain eye contact.

Jeremy

My daughter has Asperger's also (how I found out about it). At a support group meeting we went to the speaker was talking about eye contact and said that she worked with a high school student who would always stare at the floor. He said picking a spot on the floor and staring at it helped him to hear and retain the information. I've tried it (when I could, sometimes eye contact is required which is when I go for the lip reading. From about 3-4 feet I think most NT's buy it) and it seems to help. Also I've told people I work with that I can't determine sound direction (its pretty obvious I can't) because one ear is more deaf than the other. This gives me a great excuse to turn "my good ear" toward them thereby breaking eye contact.

I have, according to several hearing tests, above average hearing. I can hear certain frequencies that human beings aren't supposed to be able to hear (I got a dog whistle once, thinking that no human being could hear it, and was dissappointed to find that I could!) But when it comes to processing I understand, without concious effort, roughly 25%-30% of what is being said to me and with concious effort, about 60% with the exception of certain people and talking in one-on-one, no audial distractions, situations in which I can understand the person completely. Unlike people with hearing problems, I tend to act as if I understand perfectly, just picking key words out that I understand responding as best as I can, generally looking none to bright and/or hard of hearing.

Another "MeToo" here.

Really hard time distinguishing conversation coming from the people infront of me from the rest of the other in the restaurant.
Along with that, I found out last year I kinda freak out if I can't see where the conversations are coming from.
A friend and I were in a restaurant last year. It was rather crowded. They put us at small table in the corner, and I was facing the corner ( I hate not being able to observe my surroundings). All the background noise and conversation keep getting louder and louder and I began to feel pressure on my head and shoulders like something was pressing down on me. I had to step out for a moment. Traded places with my freind so I could see whats going on and it was much better.

But I can hear a pin drop when it's silent. Had my hearing tested at work a few years ago and it was excellent.

yea, me too, drives me nuts that I can't understand others in less than perfect circumstances

I use lipreading 95% of the time. I'm profoundly deaf. I grew up oral but when I learned sign language, actually reading the other person's sign language zones me out. Basically sounds don't bother me unless I get one stuck in my head and it just stays there. Argh!

Central Auditory Processing Disorders

Most commonly found in the ABC Disorders (Attention Behavioral Continuum) of which ASDs are a part:

http://www.tsbvi.edu/Outreach/seehear/s ... ditory.htm