What Is ADHD?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (previously known as attention deficit disorder or ADD)

is a neurobehavioral disorder characterized by core symptoms of inattentiveness, distractibility,
hyperactivity, and impulsivity. ADHD is thought to be the most common childhood mental
health disorder, with estimates of its prevalence in children ranging from 5 to 11 percent.

Some children with ADHD find it difficult to concentrate on schoolwork or other tasks and may
daydream frequently. Others become disruptive, defiant, or have trouble getting along
with parents, peers, or teachers. Children who struggle with hyperactivity and impulsivity, in
particular, often have behavioral challenges that can be difficult for adults to manage.

It’s also possible for both sets of symptoms to exist together, in what is typically called
combined type ADHD. Executive functioning (planning, emotional regulation, and decision-
making) is often affected as well.

Experts have debated whether treatment for ADHD should be primarily behavioral (therapy,
attention training, increased play, greater structure) or pharmacological. Several large studies
have concluded that a combination of both may be most effective.

Managing work, school, and household tasks can be a challenge for children and adults with
ADHD. Fortunately, they can learn coping skills to work around struggles and harness their
talents—as many successful individuals with ADHD have already done.

For more on causes, symptoms, and treatments of ADHD, see our Diagnosis Dictionary.

 What Adult ADHD Looks Like

 How to Think About ADHD

What Are the Symptoms of ADHD?

The symptoms of ADHD fall into two distinct categories—inattention and

hyperactivity/impulsivity. Boys, who tend to show more hyperactive or impulsive symptoms,
have historically been more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. But improved
awareness of inattentive symptoms has led to an increase in diagnoses among girls in recent
years.

Problems of inattention include difficulty sustaining attention, easily becoming distracted, and
not paying attention to details or instructions. They also include making careless mistakes at
work or school, the inability to finish projects, and losing or forgetting things. Problems of
hyperactivity and impulsivity include feeling restless, fidgeting or squirming, and talking
excessively or interrupting others at inappropriate times.
Given the fuzzy character of the disorder, the symptoms of ADHD are not always clear cut.
Since everyone experiences inattention or impulsivity from time to time, an individual’s
symptoms must be persistent to be considered diagnostically relevant and impair function in
school, at work, or at home.

For children, symptoms must be unusual for the corresponding developmental stage, as some
may represent typical behavior for one's age group. For an adult to be diagnosed, symptoms
must have emerged before age 12.

What Causes ADHD?

The causes of ADHD are not clear. As with other mental health and behavioral
disorders, genes likely play a role, but more recent research also implicates exposure to
environmental toxins such as pesticides or lead, as well as prenatal
cigarette smoking or alcohol intake. The belief that eating too much sugar causes the condition
has not held up in research.

“Poor parenting” is not to blame for ADHD, but parenting styles and strategies can have an
effect on children's self-regulating abilities. Children who are exposed to inconsistent discipline,
or who suffer from neglect, may find it more challenging to rein in their impulses or direct their
attention later on.