An Overview of ADHD
Occasionally, we may all have difficulty sitting still, paying attention, or controlling impulsive behavior. For some people, the problem is so persistent that it interferes with their daily life, including home, academic, social, and work settings.

Medical science first reported children with inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity in 1902. Today, ADHD is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders of childhood and can continue through adolescence and into adulthood. The causes are currently unknown. However, the symptoms commonly associated with ADHD have been identified: a chronic level of inattention, impulsive hyperactivity, or both, such that daily functioning is compromised. A person with ADHD may struggle in important areas of life, such as peer and family relationships, and in school or work performance.

As many as half of those with ADHD also have other conditions, such as oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and depression, making it difficult to diagnose ADHD. There are, however, various therapies and medications available for treating children with ADHD. Such treatment should be discussed with medical and other health professionals.

	3% to 5% of children in the United States suffer from ADHD
	The cause(s) and risk factors contributing to ADHD are unknown, although it seems to be more prevalent among boys than girls
	During the past decade, prescriptions for ADHD medications increased dramatically across the United States
	The majority of children and adolescents who receive stimulants for ADHD do not fully meet the criteria for ADHD, while many children who do meet the criteria for ADHD are not being treated
	On average, 1 to 3 children in a class of 30 has ADHD