attention deficit disorder

[uh-ten-shuhn def-uh-sit dis-awr-der]

noun

1. ADD.

attention deficit disorder

noun

1. ADD. a disorder, particularly of children, characterized by excessive activity and inability to concentrate on one task for any length of time

Attention Deficit Disorder

1. A disorder characterized by a difficulty in retaining focus, especially on tasks, for long periods of time.

One of the most common reasons children are brought into therapy, ADD is often treated with the somewhat controversial drug Ritalin®, which is thought to work by stimulating the attention-focusing structures of the brain.

Word History and Origins

Origin of attention deficit disorder¹

First recorded in 1980–85