Attention Deficit Disorder In Children

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or attention deficit disorder, as it is perhaps more commonly known, is a psychiatric disorder characterized by pervasive difficulties with tasks that require sustained attention and impulse control, such as focusing on important life tasks, fulfilling responsibilities, staying organized, listening to others, remaining still in one’s seat, and keeping appropriately quiet. Prevalence of ADHD is estimated at 9 percent among children aged between 13 and 18 years, with boys affected in significantly greater numbers than girls. ADHD leads to problems in social, economic, and psychological adjustment that frequently persist into adulthood.

A diagnosis of ADHD is made based on the criteria set out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), now in its fifth edition. Six out of ...