5-Minute Clinical Consult
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Pediatric
Basics
Description
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests in early childhood characterized by distractibility, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and/or inattention.
- Three subsets: predominantly hyperactivity (ADHD-H), predominantly inattentive (ADHD-I), or combined (ADHD-C)
- System(s) affected: nervous
Epidemiology
- Predominant age: onset <12 years; lasts into adolescence and adulthood
- Predominant sex: assigned male at birth > assigned female at birth (2:1); ADHD-I is more common in patients assigned female at birth.
Prevalence
9–15% of children aged 4 to 17 years
Etiology and Pathophysiology
Not definitive—suggested pathogenesis includes imbalance of catecholamine metabolism and structural brain differences. Environmental influences are controversial.
Risk Factors
- Family history (genetic component)
- Medical causes (affecting brain development)—including prenatal tobacco exposure and prematurity
Commonly Associated Conditions
- Mood disorders—depression, anxiety
- Behavior disorders—oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Physiologic disorders—sleep disorders, tics
- Learning disabilities, developmental coordination syndrome, language disorder
- Substance use disorders
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Citation
Domino, Frank J., et al., editors. "Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Pediatric." 5-Minute Clinical Consult, 33rd ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2025. Medicine Central, im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/816485/all/Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder__Pediatric.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Pediatric. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, et al, eds. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/816485/all/Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder__Pediatric. Accessed April 28, 2025.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Pediatric. (2025). In Domino, F. J., Baldor, R. A., Golding, J., & Stephens, M. B. (Eds.), 5-Minute Clinical Consult (33rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/816485/all/Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder__Pediatric
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Pediatric [Internet]. In: Domino FJF, Baldor RAR, Golding JJ, Stephens MBM, editors. 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. [cited 2025 April 28]. Available from: https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/816485/all/Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder__Pediatric.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Pediatric
ID - 816485
ED - Domino,Frank J,
ED - Baldor,Robert A,
ED - Golding,Jeremy,
ED - Stephens,Mark B,
BT - 5-Minute Clinical Consult, Updating
UR - https://im.unboundmedicine.com/medicine/view/5-Minute-Clinical-Consult/816485/all/Attention_Deficit_Hyperactivity_Disorder__Pediatric
PB - Wolters Kluwer
ET - 33
DB - Medicine Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -
