Overview of ADHD, including symptoms, causes and treatment of ADHD.

• What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
• What are the risk factors and causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
• What are the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
• How is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) treated?
• ADHD in Children
  
• 3D Medical Animation

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common chronic psychiatric conditions diagnosed in childhood. Although thought of as a child's condition, adult ADHD is not uncommon. The chronic nature of ADHD is revealed in its rates of persistence. Sixty to seventy percent of children diagnosed with ADHD still struggle with symptoms as adults.

The hallmark ADHD symptoms are inattention, distractibility, and impulsivity. These symptoms are frequently accompanied by physical or motor hyperactivity, often described as restlessness, fidgetiness, and the inability to sit still. The "inattentive" component refers not only to difficulty in focusing and sustaining attention appropriately, but also to a basic inability to match attention to the demands of the particular environment and to specific tasks.

The condition is also known as attention deficit disorder or ADD.

Sources:

• DSM-IV-TR workgroup. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, NIMH, April 2008.

next: What Are the Risk Factors and Causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?