What is ADHD?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often persists into adulthood.

ADHD includes some combination of problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour.

Children with ADHD also may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school.

While treatment won’t cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications and behavioural interventions.

A diagnosis of ADHD can be scary, and symptoms can be a challenge for parents and children alike. However, treatment can make a big difference, and most children with ADHD grow up to be normal adults.

ADHD has been called attention-deficit disorder (ADD) in the past. But, ADHD is now the preferred term because it describes both primary aspects of the condition: inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behaviour.

While many children who have ADHD tend more toward one category than the other, most children have some combination of inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behaviour.

ADHD symptoms become more apparent during activities that require focused mental effort.

In order to be diagnosed with ADHD, signs and symptoms of the disorder must appear before the age of 7.

In some children, signs of ADHD are noticeable as early as 2 or 3 years of age.