For the past several decades the terms learning disorders, learning dysfunctions, learning disabilities, learning differences, and attention-deficit disorders have made the rounds in the educational, medical, and psychological journals. The concepts have been studied routinely and thoroughly with similar and distinct differences. Some theoreticians and educators include the concepts of dyslexia, hyperactivity, interrupted concentration, anxiety, perceptual dysfunction, and a host of other variables as belonging to the definition of what should be called a learning puzzle rather than a dysfunction. If the perception of a piece is placed before the recognition of the whole, then treatment is item specific and not supportive of the entire structure. In other words, learning, and the process whereby it is completed or interrupted, must be viewed in relation to the whole structure rather than identified by its parts. The learning puzzle can be properly described as an intricate formation of a human's neurological, physiological, psychological, and sociological systems (parts) blended together to produce a healthy functioning individual (whole). .

             The "act" of learning is accomplished optimally when all parts of the puzzle are functioning without interruption. However, when learning is interrupted through external or internal stimuli the puzzle cannot be completed and negative results occur. The lack of puzzle completion is brought about both environmentally and medically. For example: A lack of educational opportunity, poor self esteem, and even peer pressure (environmental leaning interruption) can help to erode the puzzle structure and produce a dysfunctional situation in the learning process (Jourard, 1959). Similarly, should there exist a malfunction in the body (medical part) disruption in learning can occur as well; thus preventing the puzzle from becoming complete. The focus, therefore, of this paper will be to report on that which causes learning to be disrupted through a medical variable (hyperactivity) and the treatment that can be applied to permit learning to take place on a much more normal basis.