[Recent advances on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the main aspects of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, including history, epidemiology, etiology, neurobiology, clinical features, comorbidities, diagnosis, outcome and treatment.


METHODS
Comprehensive, non-systematic review of the literature on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.


RESULTS
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder has a neurobiological basis, and is highly prevalent in children and adolescents. Treatment is very efficacious, including the use of medication in most the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Pediatricians are in a privileged position to detect this disorder early and to start the initial management of less severe cases and of those not complicated by extensive comorbidities.
Rohde
Luis A
LA
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS. lrohde@terra.com.br
Halpern
Ricardo
R
D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors