Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Teenagers
• Women
• Adults
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Is it hard for your child to sit still? Does your child act without thinking first? Does your child start but not finish things? If so, your child may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Nearly everyone shows some of these behaviors at times, but ADHD lasts more than 6 months and causes problems in school, at home and in social situations.

ADHD is more common in boys than girls. It affects 3-5 percent of all American children.

The main features of ADHD are

• Inattention
• Hyperactivity
• Impulsivity

No one knows exactly what causes ADHD. It sometimes runs in families, so genetics may be a factor. There may also be environmental factors.

A complete evaluation by a trained professional is the only way to know for sure if your child has ADHD. Treatment may include medicine to control symptoms, therapy, or both. Structure at home and at school is important. Parent training may also help.

NIH: National Institute of Mental Health

Start Here

• Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): The Basics (National Institute of Mental Health) Also in Spanish
• Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (American Academy of Family Physicians)
• Focusing on ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
• What Is ADHD? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Symptoms

• Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Symptoms and Diagnosis (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Dealing with ADHD: What You Need to Know (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Antipsychotic drugs a last resort for these 5 conditions (ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia and PTSD) (Consumers Union of U.S.)
• Behavior Therapy (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• My Child Has Been Diagnosed with ADHD - Now What? (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Stimulant ADHD Medications -- Methylphenidate and Amphetamines (National Institute on Drug Abuse) - PDF Also in Spanish

Living With

• ADHD Diet: Do Food Additives Cause Hyperactivity? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• ADHD: Tips to Try (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• For Parents & Caregivers (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)
• Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Allergies and Hyperactivity (and sugar) (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
• Other Concerns & Conditions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Specifics

• College Students with ADHD (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: 48,XXYY syndrome (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: monoamine oxidase A deficiency (National Library of Medicine)

Videos and Tutorials

• Getting Treatment for ADHD (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)

Statistics and Research

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among Children Aged 5-17 Years in the United States, 1998-2009 (National Center for Health Statistics)
• Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Data and Statistics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Faststats: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Are ADHD medications under or over prescribed worldwide?: Protocol for...
• Article: Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD: Developing Prescribable Video Games.
• Article: Methylphenidate for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and...
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist Finder (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• National Institute of Mental Health
• Psychologist Locator (American Psychological Association)

Children

• ADHD in Young Children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
• Girls and ADHD (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Kids' Quest: ADHD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• What Is Hyperactivity? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

• ADHD (Nemours Foundation)
• ADHD Medications (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Learning Disabilities and ADHD (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)

Women

• Women and Girls (With ADHD) (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

Adults

• Adult Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Could I Have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? Finding an Answer to ADHD as an Adult (National Institute of Mental Health)
• Social Skills in Adults with AD/HD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

Patient Handouts

• ADHD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF - In English and Spanish
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Medicines for ADHD (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish