ABSTRACT
A wide variety of terms are used to describe what will be referred to throughout this book as ADHD. This includes attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and hyperkinetic disorder (HKD). The most widely used overarching term of ADHD refers to a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by a persistent pattern of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development (American Psychiatric Association 1994). For the purposes of this book, ADHD is defined as a common behavioural disturbance of childhood, characterised by excessive hyperactivity, inattention and impulsiveness.
