Lisa's son Jack had always been a handful. Even as a
preschooler, he would tear through the house like a tornado,
shouting, roughhousing, and climbing the furniture. No toy or
activity ever held his interest for more than a few minutes and
he would often dart off without warning, seemingly unaware of
the dangers of a busy street or a crowded mall. It was
exhausting to parent Jack, but Lisa hadn't been too concerned
back then. Boys will be boys, she figured. But at age 8, he was
no easier to handle. It was a struggle to get Jack to settle
down long enough to complete even the simplest tasks, from
chores to homework. When his teacher's comments about his
inattention and disruptive behavior in class became too frequent
to ignore, Lisa took Jack to the doctor, who recommended an
evaluation for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
ADHD is a common behavioral disorder that affects an estimated
8% to 10% of school-age children. Boys are about three times
more likely than girls to be diagnosed with it, th