Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD/ADHD, is a psychological term currently applied to anyone who meets the DSM IV diagnostic criteria for impulsivity, hyperactivity and/or inattention. The diagnostic criteria are subjective and include behavior which might be caused by a wide variety of factors, ranging from brain defects to allergies to giftedness. ADD, as currently defined, is a highly subjective description, not a specific disease.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD, is one of the most common mental disorders that develop in children. Children with ADHD have impaired functioning in multiple settings, including home, school, and in relationships with peers. If untreated, the disorder can have long-term adverse effects into adolescence and adulthood.

Symptoms of ADHD will appear over the course of many months, and include:

• Impulsiveness: a child who acts quickly without thinking first.

• Hyperactivity: a child who can't sit still, walks, runs, or climbs around when others are seated, talks when others are talking.

• Inattention: a child who daydreams or seems to be in another world, is sidetracked by what is going on around him or her.

source: nimh.nih.gov