The primary symptoms of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Not everyone with ADHD will have all three, but in order to be diagnosed you must have at least one of them. According to the most recent version of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) there are three subtypes of ADHD with different patterns of behavior. These are:

• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type: Includes hyperactivity and impulsive behavior but does not have inattention as a symptom.
• Predominantly inattentive type: Does not show significant hyperactive or impulsive behavior but has significant attention problems. This type of ADHD was formerly called ADD (attention deficit disorder) but this term is no longer used.
• Combined type: Includes inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.

The signs of hyperactivity-impulsivity in children include:

• Restlessness including fidgeting or squirming while seated.
• Getting up from their seat when remaining seated is expected.
• Running around or climbing excessively when quiet behavior is expected.
• Blurting out answers before hearing the whole question or interrupting when others are speaking.
• Having difficulty waiting in line or taking turns.
• Always seeming to be “on the go.”
• Talking excessively.

Signs of inattention include:

• Being easily distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds.
• Failing to pay attention to details and making careless mistakes.
• Having difficulty following instructions.
• Seeming not to listen even when spoken to directly.
• Frequently forgetting things or losing needed items.
• Skipping from one uncompleted task to another.
• Having difficulty sustaining attention during tasks or play.
• Having problems organizing tasks or activities.
• Avoiding tasks that require mental effort, such as schoolwork.

While ADHD always begins in childhood, in about 50% of cases it persists into the adult years. The same fundamental symptoms affect adults: impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention. The same three subtypes of ADHD also persist into adulthood. However the symptoms do not manifest in exactly the same way as in children. Hyperactivity becomes much less noticeable. Instead of running around and talking nonstop like hyperactive children tend to, hyperactivity in adults is manifest as feelings of restlessness and difficulty relaxing. Problems with concentration and organization which lead to failed schoolwork in children tend to become more pronounced in adults as their lives become more complicated and can lead to persistent job instability. Impulsivity tends to cause difficulty maintaining adult relationships and can also lead to mood swings and constant irritability.