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Referring ADHD as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or vice versa is just a matter of “nosology,” the classification of disorders. Today, we refer to ADD as a subset of ADHD. A person who has ADD has ADHD, primarily Inattentive Type. ADHD, primarily Hyperactive-Impulsive Type is most often called just ADHD. When both types are evident (inattentive symptoms of ADD and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms of ADHD), it is simpley referred to as ADHD. Back to Top.. |
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AD/HD, or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurobiological condition affecting children and adults that is characterized by problems with inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Research suggests that AD/HD is one of the most common disorders found in children, totaling 30% to 50% of child referrals to mental health services. AD/HD is the current diagnostic label for a condition with long history of research and study. The nomenclature AD/HD as an identifiable diagnostic category came about in the late 1960’s. Prior to that time, AD/HD has been known by several other names, such as “super-active,” "brain damaged syndrome," "minimal brain dysfunction," "hyperkinetic impulsive disorder," and "attention deficit disorder (ADD)." Back to Top.. |
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Coaching, in general, is action-based partnership whereby a coach guides clients to achieve worthy personal goals. Coaching is a non-judgmental process focusing on positives, i.e., finding what is right and building on it, rather than fixing what is wrong. During the coaching process, clients learn to identify, accept, and manage the obstacles and challenges in order to ascertain where they are currently, where they wish to go, and how they intend to get there. Coaching is especially helpful to AD/HD children and their families in that it provides both the structure and support mechanisms which positively and non-judgmentally encourage lasting behavioral change. Back to Top.. |
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There are varieties of professionals qualified to evaluate children for ADHD. It is worth noting that every professional will use the criteria listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV-TR (DSM-IV-TR); yet, each will utilize one’s own procedures, tools, and threshold. Given this, the most important thing about choosing a professional is that person’s ample experience evaluating children for ADHD rather than what their degree is. Professionals who evaluate children for ADHD are: Pediatricians (MD), psychiatrists (MD), clinical psychologists (PhD or PsyD) and educational psychologists (MeD or EdD). Back to Top.. |
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The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychiatrist and trainee psychiatrists in the United States. APA is very influential world-wide and has approximately 148,000 members, most of whom are Americans with some international. The association publishes various journals and pamphlets, as well as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM which codifies psychiatric conditions and is used world-wide as a key guide to diagnosing disorders. Back to Top.. |
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American Psychological Association (APA) is a professional organization representing psychology in the United Stated with mission to advance psychology as a science and profession and as a means of promoting health, education, and human welfare by the encouragement of psychology in all its branches in the broadest and most liberal manner. APA is perhaps best known for APA writing style and formatting standard widely used in the social sciences (especially psychology), and is occasionally confused with the American Psychiatric Association who also use the acronym APA. Back to Top.. |
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Asperger’s is a disorder of problems with social interaction and restricted patterns of activities and behaviors. Children with Asperger’s have trouble making eye contact, expressing appropriate body language, and carrying on a normal conversation. Children with Asperger’s display symptoms of lack of social/emotional reciprocity, preoccupation with parts of objects, inflexible adherence to rituals, repetitive motor movements, impairment in non-verbal behavior, etc. It is worth noting that children with Asperger’s are generally average or bright intellectually, even though they may be perceived by others as rather odd socially. Given this, Asperger’s symptoms may not become apparent until the child enters school and social skills problems emerge. Asperger’s is more common in males. It is a relatively new disorder (listed in the DSM-IV 1994). Some even view Asperger’s as a milder form of autism. Given that children with Asperger’s lack empathy and are unable to understand how others feel, when combined with ADHD, it can cause tremendous struggle. Back to Top.. |
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Bipolar Disorder is characterized by alternating episodes of depression and mania or mixed mood states where both depression and mania rapidly cycle, and cause unusual shifts in mood, energy, and behavior that interfere with normal functioning. Diagnosing bipolar disorder in children is difficult, as symptoms are manifested via a variety of different behaviors. When a child is depressed, there may be tiredness, various physical aches (headache, muscle ache, stomach ache), or frequent absences from school, unexplainable crying, isolation, excessive sensitivity to failure or rejection, etc. When manic, on the other hand, a child can be highly irritable and prone to destructive outbursts. Given that both children with Bipolar Disorder and ADHD display irritability, hyperactivity, and distractibility, differentiating the two (manic symptoms of bipolar from ADHD) is difficult. It is also reported that 80% of children with Childhood Bipolar Disorder meet the full criteria of ADHD. Back to Top.. |
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Alpha state is the brain’s relaxed or calm state (8-12 hertz) when a person experiences a perceptive tranquil sense. Back to Top.. |
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Beta state is the highest range of brain electromagnetic activity. Beta state measures greater than 13 hertz (cycles per second) and is the output that occurs during most of the day when one is actively thinking and problem solving. Back to Top.. |
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Delta state is the slowest brain range (0.5 – 4 hertz) and one is fully asleep. Delta is generally considered irrelevant to the issue of ADHD. Back to Top.. |
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With ADHD, the brain mostly functions in the Alpha and Theta range. This is the case even if it is more appropriate to be in the higher Beta state when a child with ADHD is at school solving problems. This inability to shift into a higher state is akin to a car stuck in overdrive. The car cannot use its strong engine to get over the hill. ADHD children feel likewise. They cannot shift into high gear. Their normal methods for stimulating the brain aren’t working, so they try other means to rev up the brain. They engage in hyperactivities to create an excited state: Jumping up and down, eating gobs of sweets, etc. This means, ADHD children are hyperactive not because their brains are operating in high gear, but because they cannot shift, except via hyperactivity, into high gear. Movement allows them to shift into high gear. Back to Top.. |
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Theta state is when one is in a trance, which is similar to the period just before one falls asleep (4-8 hertz). Theta is the state of hypnotic effect where realities blur and imageries of dreams are created. A person is most creative at Theta state because the hindering obstacles of rationality and objectivity are not present. Back to Top.. |
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Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), is a national non-profit, tax-exempt (Section 501 (c) (3)) organization providing education, advocacy and support for individuals with AD/HD. www.CHADD.org Back to Top.. |
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Childhood anxiety, or Generalized Anxiety Disorder in children, is manifested via persistent and excessive worry that lasts for at least six months. When children suffer from anxiety, they are restless, easily fatigued or irritated, cannot concentrate or sleep, etc. It is worth noting that two hallmark indicators of anxiety are complaining and avoidance. For many children suffering from anxiety, complaining (e.g., I am not feeling well) is a good way of avoiding or escaping from activities that make them nervous. Anxious children are also perfectionists requiring excessive reassurance and confirmation. Since worries preoccupy these children, they have difficulties concentrating, paying attention, and focusing on school work. More specific types of anxiety disorders in children are specific phobia (intense fears of certain things, events, etc.), panic disorder (abrupt episodes of intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms), and social phobia (excessive fear of being embarrassed in social settings). It is estimated that 25 to 30% of children with ADHD experience anxiety. Back to Top.. |
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Childhood depression generally shows up in child’s complaints, irritable moods, or social withdrawal, as most children are unlikely to either be aware of or verbalize depression. Depressive episodes can cause dramatic change in children, as they may cry a lot, have little motivation to do anything, including pleasurable activities they previously enjoyed. Child’s self-esteem can become very low and changes occur in sleep pattern, appetite, and school performance. It is estimated that 10 to 30% of children with ADHD suffer from a subtle and slowly emerging onset of depression. The cause for this stems from constant rejections and failures these children experience daily. |
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the leading methods of therapy for treating a wide range of behavioral and psychological problems. CBT focuses on thoughts and behaviors that create undesirable outcomes by intervening at the level of unproductive thoughts and attitudes. CBT’s central assumption is that thoughts cause feelings and behaviors; as such, CBT therapists challenge irrational and unproductive thoughts and behaviors, helping the client to change them into productive thoughts and behaviors. For ADHD children, an implementation of CBT approach means reframing the diagnosis as being “different” and not “disordered.” This means ADHD can be reframed as a potential gift to claim one’s uniqueness, rather than resulting in a “why try” attitude. Back to Top.. |
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ADHD rarely exists by itself. Children with ADHD, more often than not, have at least one other disorder, which is called comorbid condition or co-morbidity. It is estimated that two thirds of children with ADHD have at least one other mental disorder and as many as 10% have two or more disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety disorder, depression, tourette’s, etc. Back to Top.. |
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Conduct Disorder (CD) is a pattern of aggressive, deceitful or antisocial behavior where rules and rights of others are violated. Children with CD have at least three of the following symptoms: Use of a weapon, physical cruelty to people/animals, bullying, initiates physical fights, threatens/intimidates others, engages in setting fires to cause damages, deliberately destroys other’s property, stealing, truant from school or stays out at night despite parental rules before age 13, breaking into someone’s house, cars, etc. CD is more common in males than females. Back to Top.. |
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Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a childhood disorder characterized by clumsiness and poor coordination due to difficulties associated with gross or fine motor movement. DCD can interfere with child’s academic performance and daily life activities because challenge with fine motor skills can cause problems with mundane chores such as buttoning a shirt, writing, etc. Problems with gross motor skills are relevant to child’s ability to play sports, engage in recreational activities, etc. Given these difficulties, children with DCD can be subjected to high level of embarrassment, anger, and frustration, which are behaviors often evident in children with ADHD. Back to Top.. |
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The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM, including DSM-IV) is a handbook from American Psychiatric Association published for mental professionals with lists of different categories of mental disorders and the diagnosis criteria for them. Back to Top.. |
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This is a motivator, e.g., grade or star system, which is external to the student or the task at hand. Extrinsic motivation has long been perceived as the bad boy of motivational theory as reliance on external factors to the task and to the individual learner consistently fails to produce deep and long lasting commitment to learning. Many now assert that any in-depth examination of the work of highly creative or productive people reveals a blend of both extrinsic and intrinsic types of motivation. Back to Top.. |
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Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) establishes minimum requirement for maintaining, protecting, and providing access to school records, and gives parents a right to all files and documents maintained by the school system containing information related to their child encompassing personal data, teacher reports, academic achievement test scores, and report cards. FERPA is a federal mandate and protects your child’s records from being shown to anyone without your written consent, save for certain exceptions. It is worth noting that state laws may also provide parents with additional rights and protections. Back to Top.. |
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Within the context of ADHD, the term Hyperactivity refers to when one fidgets with hands or feet, runs or climbs excessively when such is inappropriate, has difficulty engaging in leisure activities quietly, is always “on the go,” talks excessively, or leaves seat in classroom or other situations when remaining seated is expected. Back to Top.. |
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IDEA stands for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. IDEA is a federal law, along with Section 504, guaranteeing children with disabilities (including ADHD) a “free appropriate public education” in the “least restrictive environment.” IDEA states that the child must have a disability requiring special education services. Under IDEA, a child with identified disability which adversely affects “educational performance” is entitled to an evaluation at the school district’s expense. Section 504, on the other hand, has a lower threshold requiring only that child is provided with modifications and accommodations to take part in learning. Back to Top.. |
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IEP stands for Individualized Education Plan, which is written when your child becomes eligible for special education under IDEA which stands for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. In IEP meeting, parents meet with school personnel to discuss assessment results and determine whether the child is eligible for special education under IDEA. IEP is reviewed annually to reestablish eligibility, evaluate progress, and make modification if necessary. Back to Top.. |
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Within the context of ADHD, the term Impulsivity refers to when one has difficulty awaiting turn, interrupts or intrudes on others such as butting into games and conversations, or blurts out responses before questions have been completed. Back to Top.. |
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Within the context of ADHD, the term Inattention or Inattentiveness refers to when one fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes, has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities, does not seem to listen when spoken directly, does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish tasks, has difficulties organizing tasks and activities, avoids or dislikes tasks that require sustained mental effort (homework), loses things necessary for tasks, is forgetful, or is easily distracted. Back to Top.. |
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This is a motivator that comes from within oneself, and is generally considered more durable and self-enhancing. Notwithstanding, given that intrinsic motivation is a concept which exists only in the context of the individual, some educators believe that it is too individualized and abstract. Many now assert that any in-depth examination of the work of highly creative or productive people reveals a blend of both extrinsic and intrinsic types of motivation. Back to Top.. |
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Learning disorder occurs when a child’s academic performance in a specific subject is substantially lower than what is generally expected for that child’s age and intellectual ability. Learning disorder can be in reading, writing, and mathematics. Learning disorder is diagnosed when there is a discrepancy of more than two standard deviations difference from child’s IQ and academic performance. Children with a learning disorder generally have deficits in certain cognitive functions, e.g., auditory or visual processing, memory, etc. Reading disorder, also called “dyslexia” manifests in impairments related to reading speed, accuracy or comprehension. Written disorder is manifested in impairments in child’s ability to compose texts due to problems with grammar, spelling, organization, and poor handwriting ability. Mathematics disorder is manifested via impairment in child’s quantitative or mathematical reasoning and calculation ability. Approximately 10% of children with ADHD also have a learning disorder. It can also be present in all levels of intelligence, so a child with a learning disorder may be highly gifted, average, or below average. Learning disorders are also commonly mistaken for ADHD. Back to Top.. |
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Medication controversy concerning ADHD children is a highly emotional issue without clear answer. The crux of the issue is about pushing medication such as Ritalin over parent training, social skills training, etc. Although there is no answer to this issue, it is worth observing the following factors which are relevant to the discussion: American culture is very comfortable with medication. We are bombarded with advertisements for medication for anything that ails us from ADHD to obesity. Medication for ADHD is highly profitable for pharmaceutical companies to manufacture. Medical doctors readily prescribe medications after a diagnosis. Even teachers demand parents that child be medicated for classroom. Given that most children come from homes with working parents, there is a greater likelihood that medication is selected over firm discipline as there is a very little time for parenting. It is rare to find parents who absolutely refuse medication given that it is relatively inexpensive and easy to administer. Plus, medication requires almost no effort from parents in keeping the child calm in the classroom as versus behavior modification treatments which can be more expensive and time consuming. All these factors contribute to the ease with which today’s society is willing to medicate children. Simply, it is easier for parents to conclude “why not?” since mediation can make parenting easier than it is to ask “what else is available?” Parenting a child is incredibly challenging (and frustrating) task. When one adds ADHD to that challenge, it is easy to understand why many parents choose medication. Yet, one must also remember that when medication is the only form of treatment for ADHD, it has not been shown to improve long-term outcomes. Behavioral improvements last for only as long as the medication is given. Medication does not teach productive behaviors. Back to Top.. |
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Non-medication therapies within the context of ADHD refer to certain physical exercises, nutritional remedies, etc. Physical exercises designed to stimulate the brain (SmartCoach Martial Arts Movements, Dore Methods, Brain Gym, Interactive Metronome, etc.) have been known to help people with ADHD by drawing upon movements and sensory integration to solve problems related to reading, attention, etc. Nutritional remedies added to the diet such as fish oil for Omega-3 fatty acids and blueberries or grape seed extracts for anti-oxidants have been proven to be highly effective. Back to Top.. |
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is manifested by recurrent and persistent obsessions and compulsions on certain thoughts, impulses, images, or ideas that are intrusive and distressful. The thoughts are unwanted, excessive worries, and not within one’s control. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors expressed for the sole purpose of preventing or reducing anxiety, such as hand washing (to prevent contamination), putting things in exact order (perform tasks in highly specific order), or checking that doors are locked (to prevent the fears of horrible deed). It is estimated that 10 to 20% of children with ADHD also have OCD. Back to Top.. |
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Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is a recurrent pattern of disobedient, negative, and/or hostile behavior toward adults. ODD encompasses four of more of the following symptoms: Vindictive loses temper, argumentative, very touchy, resentful, easily annoyed, active defiance of adult’s requests/rules, deliberate annoyance of others, blames others for one’s own misbehavior or mistake. It is worth noting that some traits of ODD are expected in young children as a normal part of development. As such, ODD behaviors should occur more frequently than is typical for child’s age and development level before diagnosis. ODD is the most common combination of disorder for ADHD children, and also most difficult. Medication is not effective for ODD; as such, behavior modification treatment is necessary. Back to Top.. |
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Praise within the context of ADHD means giving recognition for the most basic of behaviors. Children with ADHD are very responsive to praise; further, if they know that praise is ready available, they work hard to earn it. For parents, giving praise can be one the easiest parenting technique to use, as well as easiest to forget since certain basic behaviors are easily taken for granted or expected. Praise must be given frequently, sincerely (ADHD children are good at detecting sincerity), and enthusiastically. It is worth noting that small behaviors which are praised consistently eventually become part of the child’s daily repertoire. Back to Top.. |
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The term refers to treatment that is not medical. A good example would be behavioral treatment or therapy in which parents, teachers, and children with ADHD are taught skills to deal with problems in daily life functioning in areas including academic performance, behavior at school, etc. Psychosocial treatment usually focuses on target behaviors that, if changed, will contribute to an improvement in the child’s functioning/impairment and a positive long-term outcome. Target behaviors can be either negative or positive behaviors that need to be eliminated or adaptive skills that need to be learned. Back to Top.. |
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Rules within the context of ADHD mean clarity and consistency. Rules are very important, as they tell the children what is expected of them and what the consequences are when the rules are broken. Children with ADHD frequently break rules due to their forgetfulness as well as their impulsivity, even if they remember them. Children with ADHD also do not generalize very well from one situation to another, e.g., not yelling at a sibling does not translate into not yelling at a friend. Given this, it is important that rules be spelled out for every behavior. Realistically, however, given that ADHD children engage in so many inappropriate behaviors, it may be impractical or even impossible to set a consequence for each and every behavior. It would be wiser for parents to set priorities on certain behaviors deemed as important – sort of choosing your battles. These priority behaviors may encompass doing homework, brushing teeth, etc. Each parent has different priorities, tolerance, and etc. Back to Top.. |
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"Section 504 is the section of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applicable to persons with disabilities. Section 504 is a civil rights act that protects persons with disabilities, including those with ADHD. For academic purposes, Section 504 means that public schools cannot discriminate against your child with ADHD or other disabilities. Section 504 mandate the public schools to make “reasonable accommodations and modifications” for child’s disability to ensure that those with disabilities have the same access to learning as others who do not have disabilities. Although the threshold for Section 504 is lower than IDEA, which stands for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a child’s impairment, in and of itself, does not qualify the child for Section 504 protection. To qualify, the impairment must “substantially limit” one or more major life activities." Back to Top.. |
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Self-esteem is usually regarded as an enduring personality characteristic and reflects one’s overall self appraisal of one’s own worth and encompass both beliefs concerning oneself (I am good at this!) and emotions (I am proud!). Back to Top.. |
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Most common side effects from ADHD medication are: Appetite suppression and insomnia. Other reported reactions that can occur include: nausea, stomach-aches, headaches, elevated blood pressure, skin rashes, anxiety, drowsiness, lip smacking, irritability, dizziness, nail or cheek biting, muscle twitches/tics, and social withdrawal. Hallucinations have been reported, but rarely, and only at very high doses. It has been also reported that the stimulants can cause zombie-like problems with thinking process in some children which may decrease academic performance. Many of these symptoms either disappear within a few days or can be managed by reducing the dosage. Back to Top.. |
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Social skills are the abilities one utilizes when interacting with others. One’s success and happiness in life is based on one’s ability to determine and execute the appropriate behavior and action in given situations. Given this premise, social skills are more important than child’s IQ or academic achievement. The majorities of children with ADHD have poor social skills, and as a result, are often rejected by others after only a brief period of interaction. Studies have shown that children with ADHD are consistently rated as the least-liked members in their class. It has been reported that girls with ADHD face more social difficulties than boys. This is likely given that girls are more aware and more distressed by their inability to make friends. Many experts recommend social skills therapy in a group setting for children with ADHD. Back to Top.. |
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Spanking has been found to have many more negative results than positive changes. Spanking, more often than not, give rise to resentment and anger toward parents. Notwithstanding such, some parents may believe that spanking does work for children with ADHD. Yet, to validate claims that spanking stopped the problematic behaviors, one must assume that children with ADHD are able to reflect back and anticipate the consequence by recalling that spanking hurt, and in order to avoid that hurt, they are able to refrain from misbehavior. If this were the case, i.e., that ADHD children could engage in such thinking, they wouldn’t have ADHD in the first place... Back to Top.. |
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It is estimated that 2 to 2.5% of all elementary-aged children in the U.S. are currently receiving medication for the treatment of ADHD, and as many as 90% of children with ADHD receive medication at some time. The reason that medication, particularly the psycho-stimulants (amphetamine compounds, methylphenidate, and pemoline), is prescribed for so many children with ADHD is that many scientific studies have shown these stimulants are effective in helping children with ADHD in the short-term. Methylphenidate (Ritalin), amphetamine compounds (Dexedrine and Adderall), and pemoline (Cylert) are prescribed much more often than other drugs, with Ritalin being the most prescribed stimulant among them. Besides the stimulant medications, currently there are no medications approved by the FDA to treat ADHD. It must be noted that not all children with ADHD respond the same to the different stimulant drugs. Some show very large improvements, while others show little or no improvement at all. It is documented that for about two-thirds to three-quarters of medicated ADHD children, stimulants improve their behavior and performance. Some media claims about negative effects of these stimulants are untrue. Children do not become psychologically reliant on these stimulants or physically addicted to them. Notwithstanding, these stimulants are potentially abusable drugs. The current prevailing professional belief is that some form of psychosocial or behavior modification treatment be given along with medication to cause long-term improvement for children with ADHD. Back to Top.. |
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Intermediate acting stimulants are taken once or twice a day and each dose generally lasts three to eight hours. Intermediate acting stimulants are: Ritalin SR, Adderall, Methylin DR, Dexedrine Spansule, etc. Back to Top.. |
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Long acting stimulants are sustained release taken once daily and last eight to twelve hours. Long acting stimulants are: Concerta, Ritalin LA, Adderall XR, etc. Back to Top.. |
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Short-acting stimulants are those taken in divided doses, generally two to three times daily, with each dose lasting from three to five hours. Some of the short acting stimulants are: Dexedrine, Ritalin, Focalin, Methylin, etc. Back to Top.. |
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Structure within the context of ADHD refers to having a predictable daily routine, viz., to develop productive habits to make up for what is missing internally in one’s mind. Generally speaking, everybody, not just children with ADHD, function better with a routine. Structure, however, is essential for children with ADHD given their forgetfulness. With consistent and constant implementation, children with ADHD eventually learn the routine. Back to Top.. |
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Time-out, within the context of ADHD, is a behavior management tool or technique intended to stop misbehavior in the present. Time out, simply put, is a time away from positive reinforcement. There are many ways to implement time-out. Generally speaking, during the time-out, there is no contact with child. Further, after the time-out, there is no lecture, discussion or even affection. The child simply goes back to the activity. This is done to ensure that post time-out period is not perceived as a rewarding experience. All in all, the time-out should be brief and direct. Back to Top.. |
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Tourette’s syndrome is a disorder of multiple tics, which is a sudden, involuntary, rapid and recurrent movement or vocalization, e.g., eye blinking, neck jerking, shoulder shrugging, facial grimacing, repeating words/phrases, throat clearing, grunting, etc. Tics are generally deemed as irresistible, except during periods of highly interesting activities when the symptom is suppressed. Tics can also be increased due to stress from the environment. Tics may disappear for periods of time and return. Tics can also be exacerbated by stimulant medication given for ADHD. Approximately 60% of children with Tourette’s also have ADHD; conversely, and fortunately, only about 7% of children with ADHD have Tourette’s. Back to Top.. |
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"The word vestibular means ""entry way,"" and this system is the entry way in to the conscious brain. All of our fundamental abilities, which we learn early and rely on all our lives, such as balance, locomotion, coordination of vision with movement, discrimination of speech and language, etc., depend upon the proper functioning of the vestibular system. Further, the vestibular system maintains the all important arousal state necessary for one to be conscious, alert and responsive (see also reticular activating system or RAS). Disturbance or damage to the vestibular system causes major learning difficulties. As an example, researchers have found that more than 90% of children with dyslexia and learning disabilities showed two or more abnormal neurological parameters indicating a cerebellar/vestibular system dysfunction. Disturbance or damage can occur via trauma to the cerebellar/vestibular system in the form of ear infections, allergies, or having been shaken as infants. Read our website section on Vestibular and ADHD which contains critical information for parents." Back to Top.. |