Is adhd considered mental impairment?

Expectations: We seem to expect more from our children than they can perform. We expect that there is some special treatment that will improve their performance. We are not able to accept natural growth and development of attention, interest, ability, performance. In truth they can benefit from stimulation, good health habits, and good self esteem. Whether the stimulation needs to be chemical is a debate.

Not really: One criterion for all mental disorders is that the symptoms cause impairment. That is not the same thing as saying someone is mentally impaired. Children, adolescents, and adults with adhd have various behaviors that can be quite disruptive to their lives and the lives of others, but their thinking processes are not affected, so they would not be called mentally impaired.

As in Intellectual: Disabiliy? No. Changes in brain structure & chemistry found in adults with adhd in peer-reviewed studies have validated the diagnosis of adhd as a neurodevelopmental disorder with symptoms that can impact learning, peer interaction and behavior over a person's lifespan. Chadd.Org is a good resource for learning about adhd diagnosis, treatment and legal rights of people with adhd at all ages.