Once, “hyperactive” kids were dismissed as problem children. The advent of attention-deficit hyperactivity/disorder, or ADHD, offered an alternative explanation for behavioral issues and symptoms like difficulty focusing and sitting still, racing thoughts and overlapping internal dialogue. It also offered a solution in the form of a pill. Decades later, ADHD is a burgeoning neurological diagnosis among children and adults alike, often celebrated as a more dynamic way of interfacing with the world. But in fact, we’re less sure now about what it is, how it works, what causes it and how to diagnose it. Here’s the breakdown.

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In his book, “The Philosophical Doctor,” German physician Melchior Adam Weikard cited inattentiveness and distractibility as symptoms of mental disorder, blaming “f

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