attention deficit disorder

noun

1. a condition, usually in children, marked by inattentiveness, dreaminess, and passivity. Abbreviation: ADD
2. (no longer in technical use) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

noun

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

n.

(abbreviated ADD) became a diagnosis in the third edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (1980); expanded to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (“the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity, with each behavior occurring infrequently alone;” ADHD) in DSM-III (1987).

n.

1. A syndrome, usually diagnosed in childhood, characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsiveness, a short attention span, and sometimes hyperactivity, and interfering especially with academic, occupational, and social performance.

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