Improving Balance

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There’s more to having good balance than meets the eye, sorry no pun intended. Having good balance allows someone to sit in a chair and focus on many school related tasks (reading, writing, copying work, test taking, etc).There are 3 things that we use for good balance, eyes, tactile or touch, and the vestibular apparatus or inner ear. Many children with poor balance are seen sliding down in the chair, fidgeting, moving, can’t stay focused, etc.

 

Poor Balance Or ADHD

We use our eyes, tactile or touch senses, and inner ear mechanisms (also called vestibular apparatus) to control balance. If one of these functions does not work properly, the student will have issues keeping their balance. However, some of these symptoms mimic Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Some children may get misdiagnosed with ADHD instead of the true problem, which may be a balance issue.