Glossary for Inattention

Medical terms related to Inattention or mentioned in this section include:

• ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a mental and behavioral disorder characterized by behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, inattention, concentration difficulty, and other mental symptoms. The related description Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be a more modern description of the disease.

  Misdiagnosis of ADD is a well-known controversy in the sense that cases of hyperactivity in children may be over-diagnosed. There is a tendency for parents to seek and doctors to prescribe the drug Ritalin even in cases where the diagnosis of ADD or ADHD may be incorrect. Alternative diagnoses include normal child behavior (i.e. just an active child), food intolerances, or other behavioral disorders (see misdiagnosis of ADD).

  On the other hand, ADD is under-diagnosed in adults, with a large number of adults having ADD without knowing it; see misdiagnosis of Adult ADD.

• ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental and behavioral disorder characterized by behavioral problems such as hyperactivity, inattention, concentration difficulty, and other mental symptoms. Typically, ADHD and associated hyperactivity is known as a childhood disorder, although ADD/ADHD in adults is known to be under-diagnosed. It is distinguished from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) which has a reduced focus on hyperactivity type symptoms.
• Aarskog Syndrome: A rare genetic condition characterized by facial, hand, genital and growth abnormalities.
• Adult ADD: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a mental disorder with symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, poor concentration, and other similar symptoms. The disorder is called "ADHD" in modern times; see more details about Adult ADHD.

  ADD can be undiagnosed into adulthood and the adult will have varying levels of dysfunction in their work, home and social lives. Affected adults have issues with as difficulting focusing on work tasks, boredom, distractedness, and so on. See symptoms of Adult ADHD.

• Adult ADHD: Adult ADHD, (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a common neurobehavioral developmental disorder with an onset in childhood that continues into adulthood. Children do not simply grow out of ADHD, as is often believed. Just the opposite is commonly true - the symptoms of ADHD often get worse as a child grows into adulthood. The predominant behaviors of adult ADHD are the same as in children and include:
  • Inattentiveness
  • Hyperactivity
  • Impulsivity

  These behaviors result in difficulties with:

  • Concentration
  • Remaining focused on a task or activity
  • Controlling behavior
  • Hyperactivity or over-activity

  The symptoms of adult ADHD can be treated, but there currently is no cure for the disorder. Most people with ADHD can be successfully treated and lead normal, productive lives at home, work, school and with friends and family. The cause or causes of ADHD are not yet known, although researchers believe that genes may be one factor in the development of the disease. It is most likely that the disorder is the result of a combination of elements, including environmental factors, traumatic head injuries, nutrition, and social influences.

• Aggression: Overly aggressive behavior.
• Alcohol abuse: Excessive alcohol as a symptom of other conditions
• Anxiety disorder: A mental condition that is characterized by anxiety and avoidance behaviours
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Behavioral disorder with hyperactivity and/or inattention.
• Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders: A condition characterized by attention problems and disruptive behavior. The condition is considered to be a grouping of three other disorders - oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
• Bipolar disorder: Cycles of mania and depression; commonly called "manic-depression".
• Cancer: Abnormal overgrowth of body cells.
• Chromosome 17, trisomy 17p11.2: A rare chromosomal disorder where a portion of the short arm of chromosome 17 is duplicated.
• Cocaine abuse: Stimulant drug with various effects
• Concentration difficulty: Reduced concentration ability or lack of concentration
• Depressive symptoms: Inappropriate depressed mood.
• Fetal alcohol syndrome: A condition which occurs in a new born fetus and is caused by the mother consuming excess alcohol during her pregnancy
• Frontotemporal dementia: A degenerative brain disease involving frontal and temporal brain lobes resulting in dementia. Degeneration of the frontal lobe causes behavioral and personality changes degeneration of the temporal lobe causes semantic dementia.
• Global developmental delay - osteopenia - ectodermal defect: A rare syndrome characterized by developmental delay, osteopenia and skin anomalies.
• Huntington's disease: Inherited disease causing progressive mental deterioration.
• Hyperactivity: Excessive action and lack of control.
• Inattention in children: alteration in the mood and emotional behaviour
• Inattention in teens: alteration in the mood and emotional behaviour in teenagers
• Learning disabilities: Difficulty with learning or schooling.
• Mania: Inappropriately euphoric mood usually with hyperactivity and other symptoms.
• Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Mild brain injury caused by trauma, accident or injury
• Multiple Sclerosis: Autoimmune attack on spinal nerves causing diverse and varying neural problems.
• PANDAS: A rare disorder characterized by the association of a tic disorder or OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) with a streptococcal infection and neuropsychiatric symptoms. The symptoms can start suddenly and recovery is slow with frequent relapses. It is believed that the infection affects a part of the brain that is involved with movement.
• Pain: Any type of pain sensation symptoms.
• Panic disorder: is a severe medical condition characterized by extremely elevated mood
• Personality disorder: Any of a group of disorders that affect ones personality
• Personality symptoms: Symptoms or changes to the personality.
• Pfiesteria piscicida poisoning: Pfiesteria piscicida is an estuarine microorganism (dinoflagellate) that can cause illness in humans as well as fish. The particular toxin involved has not yet been identified. The microorganism may release toxins into the water or it may be aerosolized which can result in skin, eye and respiratory exposure. The condition is not contagious and they symptoms may vary considerably amongst patients.
• Pfiesteria poisoning: Pfiesteria is an estuarine microorganism (dinoflagellate) that can cause illness in humans as well as fish. The particular toxin involved has not yet been identified. The microorganism may release toxins into the water or it may be aerosolized which can result in skin, eye and respiratory exposure. The condition is not contagious and they symptoms may vary considerably amongst patients.
• Pfiesteria shumwayae poisoning: Pfiesteria shumwayae is an estuarine microorganism (dinoflagellate) that can cause illness in humans as well as fish. The particular toxin involved has not yet been identified. The microorganism may release toxins into the water or it may be aerosolized which can result in skin, eye and respiratory exposure. The condition is not contagious and they symptoms may vary considerably amongst patients.
• Pick's disease of the brain: A degenerative brain disease involving the frontal and temporal brain lobes resulting primarily in progressive dementia and loss of motor and language functions. It is characterized by the presence of proteins called Pick bodies in damaged nerve cells.
• Potocki-Lupski syndrome: A rare chromosomal disorder where a portion of the short arm of chromosome 17 is duplicated.
• Schilder's Disease: Rare nerve myelin condition.
• Schizophrenia: Psychiatric disorder with delusional beliefs and hallucinations.
• Strauss syndrome: A brain dysfunction disorder which affects children and involves hyperactivity, attention span problems, impulsive behavior, animal cruelty and other behavioral abnormalities.
• WAGR Syndrome: A syndrome that is due to the deletion of chromosome 11.
• Williams Syndrome: A syndrome characterised by mental retardation, facial abnormalities and emotional instability
• Wilms tumor - aniridia - genitourinary anomalies - mental retardation: A syndrome resulting from deletion of genetic material from chromosome the short arm of chromosome 11 (11p13). The characteristic symptoms are partial or complete absence of iris, genitourinary anomalies, mental retardation and Wilms' tumor. The specific range and severity of symptoms is variable depending on the size and exact location of the genetic material that is missing.
• Zunich neuroectodermal syndrome: A very rare genetic syndrome characterized by a range of symptoms such as colobomas of the eye, heart defects, ichthyosiform dermatosis, mental retardation and ear defects.
• Zunich-Kaye syndrome: A very rare genetic syndrome characterized by a range of symptoms such as colobomas of the eye, heart defects, ichthyosiform dermatosis, mental retardation and ear defects.

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