<p><strong>Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)</strong> or is it <strong>Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)</strong>?</p>

<p><strong>ADHD</strong> is a neural development disability which can be related to the brain function and behavior of an individual.</p>

<p>Individuals with ADHD are hyperactive, have trouble paying attention and are unable to control their impulses.</p>

<p>ADHD is a brain disorder which can interfere with the daily task at home or work.
Both the terms ADD and ADHD refer to a syndrome found in both children and adults with visible characteristics by restlessness, hyperactivity or impulsiveness.</p>

<p>A few signs for individuals with ADHD can be seen as,</p>

<ul>
<li><em>Lack of attention</em>: Includes disorganization, problems staying on task, constant daydreaming, and not paying attention when spoken to directly.</li>
<li><em>Impulsiveness</em></li>
<li><em>Hyperactivity</em>: Involves squirming, fidgeting, tapping, talking, and constant movement.</li>
</ul>

<p>On the other hand, <strong>Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)</strong> is an outdated term used for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This condition can vary from person to person and used to refer an individual who had trouble focusing on anything rather than being hyperactive.</p>

<p>ADD is a type of ADHD that doesn't involve constant movement and fidgeting. But it's a blurry distinction.</p>

<p>I have been treating <strong>ADHD</strong> and other <strong>vocational training for special needs</strong> at <strong>Accel Centre</strong> for the past 20 years and have realized that it is not a disability or deficit instead of a trait an individual can have with some positive and negative outcomes.</p>

<p>References:</p>

<p><em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/difference-between-add-and-adhd" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/difference-between-add-and-adhd</a></em></p>

<p><em><a href="https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/add-vs-adhd" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/add-vs-adhd</a></em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-07T13:11:34.257Z
2019-01-07T13:11:34.257Z
Dorian Townsend
<p>ADD is the term commonly used to describe symptoms of inattention, distractibility, and poor working memory. ADHD is the term used to describe additional symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity. Both are included in the medical diagnosis of ADHD.</p>

<p>1980-1989, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
1997, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-04T11:32:57.330Z
Welcome to this site and thank you for your answer. Could you expand your sources? Are they journal articles? Books? Proper referencing is considered important here. thank you.
AliceD
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-04T09:07:31.523Z
2018-06-04T09:07:31.523Z
Dr. Elisha Rose Bayer Neal
<p>They are interchangeable.  ADD was a term used throughout most of the 80s and ADHD aftewards.  In the <em>Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 1980</em> (<em><a href="https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=2&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CC8QFjABahUKEwjGsfG59unIAhVMPhQKHVi6DuI&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.terapiacognitiva.eu%2Fdwl%2Fdsm5%2FDSM-III.pdf&amp;usg=AFQjCNGl2-d5gUSDY9zl5eZ7T_6KG5dSpg&amp;bvm=bv.106379543,d.d24" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DSM-III</a></em>) published by the <em>American Psychiatric Association</em> (<em><a href="http://www.psychiatry.org/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">APA</a></em>) it was named ADD and the name changed to ADHD in the 1987 edition, <em>DSM-III-R</em> (which I can find no <a href="https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0890420181" rel="nofollow noreferrer">online</a> sources of).</p>

<p>ADD has been used to describe a sufferer without the observable hyperactivity but it is still essentially the same thing.  Which leads to the confusion.</p>

<p>Terms used to describe the condition include:</p>

<ul>
<li>Before 1980, <em>hyperkinetic reaction of childhood</em></li>
<li>1980-1987, <em>Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)</em></li>
<li>1987, <em>Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD</em></li>
<li>1994, <em>ADHD</em> was disected into subtypes, <em>predominantly inattentive (ADHD-PI or ADHD-I)</em>, <em>predominantly hyperactive-impulsive (ADHD-PH or ADHD-HI)</em>, and <em>combined type (ADHD-C)</em>.</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-11T21:00:53.727Z
Isn't it that what was known before as "ADD" is what we know today as "ADHD-PI" ? From Wikipedia: [ADHD predominantly inattentive (ADHD-I, formerly ADD) ADHD predominantly hyperactive (ADHD-H, formerly ADHD) ADHD combined type (ADHD-C)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_predominantly_inattentive#External_links)
BCLC
CC BY-SA 4.0
2015-10-30T08:55:51.857Z
2018-06-04T08:43:21.117Z
2018-06-04T08:43:21.117Z
Ross Drew
<p>These terms are often used interchangeably. </p>

<p>Is there a difference? </p>

<terminology><adhd>
Is there a difference between ADD and ADHD?
dwjohnston
# Is there a difference between ADD and ADHD?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-30)

These terms are often used interchangeably.

Is there a difference?

**Tags:** terminology, adhd


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-10-30. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

They are interchangeable. ADD was a term used throughout most of the 80s and ADHD aftewards. In the *Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 1980* (*[DSM-III](https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC8QFjABahUKEwjGsfG59unIAhVMPhQKHVi6DuI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.terapiacognitiva.eu%2Fdwl%2Fdsm5%2FDSM-III.pdf&usg=AFQjCNGl2-d5gUSDY9zl5eZ7T_6KG5dSpg&bvm=bv.106379543,d.d24)*) published by the *American Psychiatric Association* (*[APA](http://www.psychiatry.org/)*) it was named ADD and the name changed to ADHD in the 1987 edition, *DSM-III-R* (which I can find no [online](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/0890420181) sources of).

ADD has been used to describe a sufferer without the observable hyperactivity but it is still essentially the same thing. Which leads to the confusion.

Terms used to describe the condition include:

* Before 1980, *hyperkinetic reaction of childhood*
* 1980-1987, *Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)*
* 1987, *Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD*
* 1994, *ADHD* was disected into subtypes, *predominantly inattentive (ADHD-PI or ADHD-I)*, *predominantly hyperactive-impulsive (ADHD-PH or ADHD-HI)*, and *combined type (ADHD-C)*.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Isn't it that what was known before as "ADD" is what we know today as "ADHD-PI" ? From Wikipedia: [ADHD predominantly inattentive (ADHD-I, formerly ADD) ADHD predominantly hyperactive (ADHD-H, formerly ADHD) ADHD combined type (ADHD-C)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_predominantly_inattentive#External_links)  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-01-07. Score: 1

**Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)** or is it **Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)**?

**ADHD** is a neural development disability which can be related to the brain function and behavior of an individual.

Individuals with ADHD are hyperactive, have trouble paying attention and are unable to control their impulses.

ADHD is a brain disorder which can interfere with the daily task at home or work.
Both the terms ADD and ADHD refer to a syndrome found in both children and adults with visible characteristics by restlessness, hyperactivity or impulsiveness.

A few signs for individuals with ADHD can be seen as,

* *Lack of attention*: Includes disorganization, problems staying on task, constant daydreaming, and not paying attention when spoken to directly.
* *Impulsiveness*
* *Hyperactivity*: Involves squirming, fidgeting, tapping, talking, and constant movement.

On the other hand, **Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)** is an outdated term used for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This condition can vary from person to person and used to refer an individual who had trouble focusing on anything rather than being hyperactive.

ADD is a type of ADHD that doesn't involve constant movement and fidgeting. But it's a blurry distinction.

I have been treating **ADHD** and other **vocational training for special needs** at **Accel Centre** for the past 20 years and have realized that it is not a disability or deficit instead of a trait an individual can have with some positive and negative outcomes.

References:

*<https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/difference-between-add-and-adhd>*

*<https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/add-vs-adhd>*


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### Answer by username_2 on 2018-06-04. Score: -1

ADD is the term commonly used to describe symptoms of inattention, distractibility, and poor working memory. ADHD is the term used to describe additional symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity. Both are included in the medical diagnosis of ADHD.

1980-1989, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
1997, Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Welcome to this site and thank you for your answer. Could you expand your sources? Are they journal articles? Books? Proper referencing is considered important here. thank you.  

---

