Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): ADHD stands for
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADHD used to be known
as attention deficit disorder, or ADD. In 1994, it was renamed
ADHD. The term ADD is sometimes still used, though, to describe
a type of ADHD that doesn't involve hyperactivity. ADHD is a
medical condition that affects how well someone can sit still,
focus, and pay attention. People with ADHD have differences in
the parts of their brains that control attention and activity.
This means that they may have trouble focusing on certain tasks
and subjects, or they may seem "wired," act impulsively, and get
into trouble. Symptoms and Signs of ADHD Although ADHD begins in
childhood, sometimes it's not diagnosed until a person is a teen
— and occasionally not even until someone reaches adulthood.
Because ADHD is a broad category covering different things —
attention, activity, and impulsivity — it can show up in
different ways in different people. Some of the signs of ADHD
are when someone: