It’s normal for children to occasionally forget their homework, seem unmindful during class, act carelessly, or get fidgety at the dinner table. But pervasive and recurrent inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity could be indicative of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is marked by impairing levels of inattention, disorganization, and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. Inattention and disorganization correspond to inability to stay on task, seeming not to listen, and losing materials, at levels that are inconsistent with age or developmental level of the child. Hyperactivity-impulsivity entails overactivity, fidgeting, inability to stay seated, intruding into other people’s activities, and inability to wait. ADHD often persists into adulthood, causing impairments in social, academic and occupational functioning.
