attention deficit disorder - definition of attention deficit disorder in the Medical dictionary - by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

at·ten·tion deficit disorder (

-t

n. Abbr. ADD

A syndrome, usually diagnosed in childhood, characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsiveness, a short attention span, and sometimes hyperactivity, and interfering especially with academic, occupational, and social performance.

Attention deficit disorder (ADD)

Disorder characterized by a short attention span, impulsivity, and in some cases hyperactivity.

Mentioned in: Tourette Syndrome

attention deficit disorder (ADD),

a syndrome affecting children, adolescents, and adults characterized by short attention span, hyperactivity, and poor concentration. The symptoms may be mild or severe and are associated with functional deviations of the central nervous system without signs of major neurologic or psychiatric disturbance. The people affected are usually of normal or above average intelligence. Other symptoms include impairment in perception, conceptualization, language, memory, and motor skills; decreased attention span; increased impulsivity; and emotional lability. The condition is 10 times more prevalent in boys than in girls and may result from genetic factors, biochemical irregularities, perinatal or postnatal injury, or disease. There is no known cure, and symptoms often subside or disappear with time. Medication with methylphenidate, pemoline, or the dextroamphetamines is frequently prescribed for children with hyperactive symptoms, and some form of psychotherapeutic counseling is often recommended. Some treatments include abstinence from certain foods, such as those that contain caffeine, and food additives. Also called hyperactivity, hyperkinesis, minimal brain dysfunction. See also learning disability.

attention deficit disorder

The most widely used term for the condition which is officially–per the DSM-IV—known as Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, see there

Patient discussion about attention deficit disorder.

Q. What Is ADHD? I have heard parents talking about ADHD at my son’s school. What exactly is this syndrome?

A. I am a mother of 4 children, all of whom have been diagnosed with ADHD as was I. My youngest son and daughter took medication for ADHD (Adderall). I found that it made my son very zombie-like. He showed little to no emotion and when he did it was mostly anger and aggression. I spoke with his Psychiatrist and we adjusted his meds. This unfortunately did not work. But his psych. said that the benefits of the drug outweighed the bad side effects. I slowly weened him off the meds. It takes a lot more patience to get him to do his homework and an IEP (individual education plan) at school has helped a great deal. You can request this at any public school. My daughter on the other hand takes a very low dose of adderall and is doing just fine. They are both in counseling to learn how to deal with ADHD and are doing fine. I also think that this diagnosis is used way too much. It might be a symptom to a bigger problem or something stressful the child is experiencing.

Q. How Can I Tell If My Child Has ADHD? Are there ways to early diagnosis of ADHD in children? How can I tell if my child might have this disorder?

A. Children with ADD or ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) may be early diagnosed if the parents / school teachers notice any of these signs that may suggest the child is suffering from this problem- the child has trouble concentrating, can be easily distracted, has less control over what he does or says (tendency to act impulsively), has difficulty following instructions, or the child is fidgety, restless or interrupting others. Symptoms usually start around the age of four and early diagnosis is possible for treatment.

Q. What is the difference between ADD and ADHD? I know that H stands for hyperactivity, but what does it mean by symptoms? does It have the same treatment?

A.
Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, has the ADD symptoms: they can not pay attention for too long. , you can see them drifting around to other points of interest after couple of minutes into a conversation. The difference is that ADHD is also impulsive. He can run into a highway without thinking first. Another difference- he can not sit for more then 3-4 minutes, he moves all the time. Don't know about the treatment…maybe someone else can answer that.