ADHD, or attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder is a severe condition in which the patient has much trouble paying attention. The symptoms of ADHD are varied and include poor performance at an academic, social and behavioral level. Since the disorder encompasses a number of variables, diagnosis is made based on an extensive history and behavioral parameters taken on the patient.

The most common symptoms of ADHD include being inattentiveness, restlessness and impulsiveness. These symptoms are normally found to occur at home and at school and are more prevalent in a child's developmental stage starting at 6 years old and beyond. Failure to pay close attention to detail, difficulty sustaining attention, not listening, failure to follow through on tasks, difficulty organizing, reluctance to engage in activities that require sustained mental effort, often losing things, being easily distracted and forgetfulness can also be categorized as ADHD symptoms.

Hyperactive-impulsive symptoms include frequent fidgeting, inability to remain seated; running about, climbing excessively, a feeling of internal restlessness; difficulty engaging quietly in leisure activities, talking excessively, blurting out answers, difficulty waiting one's turn and interrupting or intruding on others.

It has been noted that symptoms have diminished when a child is in a closely supervised setting - when parents are well aware of their child's problem and try to create and maintain an atmosphere conducive to a calming effect.

It has been observed that about 60% of symptoms in children persist into adulthood, a statistic that takes the overall ADHD population of adults in the US to nearly 4 percent.