The main features of ADHD include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. However, others may live for decades trying to compensate for the frustrating symptoms associated with undiagnosed ADHD. Many are first diagnosed with the disorder in childhood, usually in the early primary grades. According to the American Psychiatric Association, ADHD is a chronic medical condition that affects an estimated 5% of children and 2.5% of adults. What is ADHD?ĪDHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that can affect people of all ages. This represents a subtype of ADHD in which the main symptom is inattention.ĪDHD symptoms can vary, with children, adults, and each gender displaying their own unique characteristic expressions of the disorder.
Individuals with symptoms of ADHD, but without the hyperactivity or impulsivity features, are diagnosed with ADHD, Inattentive Type. However, the term ADD is no longer in use, as it has been replaced by ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. For several years, ADD, or attention deficit disorder, was a diagnosis applied to children or adults with difficulty paying attention, sitting still, or following through on tasks.
