ADD (attention deficit disorder)

ADD stands for attention deficit disorder. It came from an older edition of the American diagnostic manual, in 1980, which split the condition into attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity and ADD without hyperactivity.

That split no longer exists. The single name in use is ADHD ADHD ADHD is a difference in the way a child's brain works. It affects how they pay attention, how much energy they have, and how easily they act on impulse. Read the full definition of ADHD , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and it covers difficulties with attention, with high energy levels, and with acting on impulse. The NHS says most children and young people with ADHD have symptoms of both the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive type, and some only show signs of one type.

So a child who is dreamy, loses track, and is never disruptive has not been ruled out. They are describing the inattentive type Inattentive presentation The kind of ADHD where the main struggle is attention, not being on the go. These children daydream, drift and lose things, and they are often missed for years. Read the full definition of Inattentive presentation of ADHD, which is easy to miss precisely because it causes no trouble in a classroom. It is missed more often in girls.

If a professional told you years ago that your child has ADD, they were using the language of the time. The assessment your child would have today asks about the same difficulties.