ADHD is a disorder that affects both adults and children charicterized by the lack of ability to filter out irrelevance, focus on things, and prioritize in general. Though it seems to have relatively obvious symptoms, in young children it can often be quite difficult to diagnose.
Some forms of ADHD have a hyperactivity component, increasing the likelihood of reacting based on impulsiveness, and an inability to regulate their own activity. Non-hyperactive, or inattentive ADHD can experience just as negative a range of symptoms stemming from an inability to filter information correctly. You can end up with a child who's attention is demanded equally by their teacher, and the growing grass.
These styles of activity, in general, are quite normal for adolescents, and so it is a surprise to many when a pediatrician may suggest further testing for ADHD. Children with ADHD tend to exhibit an extreme version of the natural tendencies of children without the condition. In addition the behavior will not develop at a normal pace, and so outgrowing a phase is not often the best solution.
In other words, it's very difficult to know if a child is suffering from ADHD based on casual observation alone. In fact, it can be difficult to diagnose even with the most sophisticated psychological measures we currently have available to us. There is no blood test or diagnostics to determine if someone has ADHD - it's a mental condition, not a noticeable physical problem or disease.
It is common in a situation such as this for a parent to question whether or not ADHD even exists, or is a figment of the psychological field's (sometimes fertile) imagination. But beyond it's difficulty to diagnose in kids, it is one of the most well established mental conditions on the diagnosable map today. Due to its association with young children, a great deal of attention (no pun intended) has been paid to the subject, and study after study confirms that ADHD is a biological, brain-based condition.
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