ADD (attention deficit disorder) is an old name for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). A US diagnostic manual used it in 1980. A revision of that manual changed the name to ADHD in 1987. Today the diagnosis is called ADHD, and it has three main presentations. If an old report says ADD, the timeline below shows how the name changed. This guide also sets out the diagnostic criteria and where the UK route starts.

General information only: this page is not medical advice.

What is the difference between ADD and ADHD?

The two names come from different years of the US manual. In 1980 DSM-III used ADD for the whole disorder. It had two forms, with hyperactivity and without it. Reviews of the history of ADHD list it as an earlier name for the disorder. The WHO’s ICD-10 filed the two forms in different places, as the timeline below shows.

The UK health pages we read use the word ADHD. On 21 October 2026 we checked the text of nine UK pages for the words “ADD” and “attention deficit disorder”: two pages each from the NHS website, NHS inform, NHS 111 Wales and the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and the nidirect ADHD page. None used either phrase.

The NHS pages say “type”. DSM-5 is the manual of the APA, the American Psychiatric Association. It says “presentation”, though “type” also appears on the APA’s public page.

NHS inform covers Scotland. It says that for some people with ADHD, concentrating is hard, but hyperactivity and impulsiveness are not a problem.

How did the names change?

ICD is the manual from WHO (the World Health Organization). Most DSM dates come from published reviews of the history of ADHD, named in the last column. The ICD dates come from the WHO.

Year	Manual	What it did	Source
1968	DSM-II	Called the disorder “Hyperkinetic Reaction of Childhood”.	Epstein and Loren, 2013
1980	DSM-III	Renamed it “Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) (with or without hyperactivity)”.	Lange and colleagues, 2010; Mahone and Denckla, 2017
1987	DSM-III-R	Renamed it ADHD and removed the two types. The type without hyperactivity went into a leftover group called “undifferentiated”.	Lange and colleagues, 2010; Mahone and Denckla, 2017
1990, in effect from 1993	ICD-10	Adopted in May 1990 and in effect from 1 January 1993. In the 2019 online version the heading is “Hyperkinetic disorders” (F90). One code under it, F90.0, includes “Attention deficit: disorder with hyperactivity”. “Attention deficit disorder without hyperactivity” sits under F98.8, a group of “other specified behavioural and emotional disorders” of childhood and adolescence.	WHO
1994	DSM-IV	Made three subtypes: inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined. A purely inattentive form was “reintroduced”.	Lange and colleagues, 2010; Mahone and Denckla, 2017
2013	DSM-5	Changed the word “subtypes” to “presentations”. Moved the age by which several symptoms must be present from 7 to 12.	Epstein and Loren, 2013; APA fact sheet, 2013
2019, in effect from 2022	ICD-11	Adopted in 2019 and in effect from 1 January 2022. Entry 6A05 is “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder”, with three named presentations and two more codes.	WHO
2022	DSM-5-TR	The text revision of DSM-5 was published.	APA

The table shows that the word ADD has meant different things in different manuals. In 1980 it named the whole disorder. In 1987 the whole disorder became ADHD, and ADD without hyperactivity was removed as a type. In 1994 a purely inattentive form came back. It was called the predominantly inattentive type. Since 2013 it has been called the predominantly inattentive presentation.

ICD-11 lists “attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity” as a term included under ADHD.

What are the three presentations?

ICD-11 uses the same three names as the APA. The table puts what the APA says beside signs that the NHS in England lists. The signs are not the diagnostic criteria.

Presentation	What the APA says	Signs the NHS lists
Predominantly inattentive	“Inattentive refers to challenges with staying on task, focusing, and organization.”	Easily distracted or forgetful. Trouble organising time.
Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive	“Hyperactivity refers to excessive movement such as fidgeting, excessive energy, not sitting still, and being talkative.” Impulsivity means making decisions or acting without thinking about the consequences.	High energy or restlessness. Talks a lot or interrupts others.
Combined	A person gets this diagnosis when they meet the inattentive criteria and the hyperactive-impulsive criteria.	None of the nine UK pages uses the word “combined” for it. The NHS says symptoms of both types are present in most people with ADHD.

A presentation may not stay the same. Epstein and Loren reviewed the DSM-5 changes in 2013. They wrote that the word “presentation” better reflects a person’s current symptoms, which “may change over time”. The Royal College of Psychiatrists adds that inattentive symptoms tend to matter more for teenagers and adults.

Our guides on ADHD in women and girls look at reasons it can be missed in each group. The three presentations get more space in our types of ADHD guide.

What are the diagnostic criteria?

Diagnostic criteria are the rules a specialist checks a person against. They come from a manual. NICE names two manuals for England and Wales: DSM-5 and ICD-11. NICE says symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity or inattention should meet the criteria for “hyperkinetic disorder” in either one.

“Hyperkinetic disorders” was the ICD-10 heading. The ICD-11 entry is called “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder”. The criteria cover these points:

How long. The APA says symptoms are noticeable over at least the past 6 months. ICD-11 says a persistent pattern of at least 6 months.
Where. The APA says symptoms must have caused difficulties “in more than one setting”. ICD-11 gives home, school, work and time with friends or relatives as examples.
When they began. The APA says symptoms must be present before age 12. ICD-11 says “prior to age 12”, though some people “may first come to clinical attention later”. NICE says exclusion based on an uncertain time of onset “is not recommended”.
How many. The APA page says six symptoms from either group’s list, or five for people aged 17 or older.
How much it matters. NICE says the effect on psychological, social, school or work life should be at least moderate. ICD-11 says the pattern has a direct negative impact on academic, occupational or social functioning.
Other causes. ICD-11 says another mental, behavioural or neurodevelopmental disorder should not explain the symptoms better. NICE says that exclusion based on a pervasive developmental disorder “is not recommended”. The APA’s 2013 fact sheet says DSM-5 “includes no exclusion criteria for people with autism spectrum disorder”.

NICE says when an adult who was not diagnosed as a child should be referred. The person should see a mental health specialist trained in ADHD. There should be evidence of typical signs that began in childhood and have lasted through life. Another psychiatric diagnosis should not explain the signs, although other psychiatric conditions can exist alongside. The signs should also come with moderate or severe psychological, social, school or work problems.

NICE also says who can apply the criteria. It says that only a specialist psychiatrist, or a paediatrician, or another qualified professional with training and skill in diagnosing ADHD should make the diagnosis. NICE says a diagnosis should rest on three things. The first is a full assessment of the person’s symptoms and everyday life. The second is a full history of their development and mental health. The third is reports from observers, with an assessment of their mental state. NICE adds that a diagnosis should not rest on a rating scale or on observation alone.

How is ADHD assessed in the UK?

England’s NHS website notes that details of NHS services can differ elsewhere in the UK. NICE guidance is for England and Wales. For Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland we used each nation’s own pages.

Nation	Where the nation’s own health pages say to start	Page and date
England	Adults: the NHS says to book a GP visit if the signs affect your study, work or relationships. A GP may refer you to a mental health professional with ADHD expertise for assessment. Children: the NHS says to start by talking to a teacher. A GP or the school’s SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator) can explain how to ask for a referral.	NHS website, adults and children, reviewed 19 March 2025
Wales	The adult and child pages give the same advice as England’s NHS website. They say NHS Wales adapted them from that site.	NHS 111 Wales, updated 4 July 2025
Scotland	Adults: the page says to talk with your GP practice when you suspect ADHD and it affects your life for the worse. Children: the page says a GP cannot formally diagnose ADHD, but can discuss your concerns and next steps. It also says it may help to speak to the child’s teachers first. Both NHS inform pages warn that a health board or GP may not accept a private assessment’s outcome.	NHS inform, updated 23 June 2026 (adults) and 18 June 2026 (children)
Northern Ireland	The nidirect ADHD page is written for parents of school-age children. It says a parent who is concerned should tell their doctor. A nidirect search for “ADHD adults” on 21 October 2026 found no adult ADHD page. A Department of Health answer to a request about ADHD assessments was issued on 30 June 2026. It said that at present there is “no commissioned service for ADHD” in Northern Ireland. It said an ADHD needs assessment report describes each Trust’s care pathways at the time the report was commissioned. It suggested that the person asking contact the HSC Trusts.	nidirect (no date shown); Department of Health reply DOH 2026-0116

In England, the NHS says an adult is assessed for ADHD by a specialist, a psychiatrist for example. The specialist asks how the symptoms began and whether they began in childhood. They also ask how the symptoms affected school.

Right to Choose in England

Right to Choose is an NHS route in England. The NHS says: “You can ask for an NHS appointment at any clinic, including a private clinic, if it provides ADHD services for the NHS in England.” A referral is needed. NHS England’s patient choice guidance says: “The legal rights do not extend to self-referrals or any referral other than from or on behalf of a GP, Dentist, or Optometrist.” Our Right to Choose guide explains the steps.

Common questions

What are the nine symptoms of ADD?

The APA’s page on ADHD lists nine symptoms under inattention. It lists nine more under hyperactivity and impulsivity. You can read them on the APA page. Our signs and symptoms guide has more on the signs. A symptom list is not a diagnosis. NHS inform says one test or checklist on its own cannot confirm whether someone has ADHD.

Can adults be diagnosed with ADHD?

Yes. The APA’s 2013 fact sheet says ADHD “can continue through adulthood for some people”. The sections above set out how NICE, for England and Wales, says an adult is referred and who can make the diagnosis.

Finding a clinic

You can compare private ADHD clinics on our clinics page. A directory is not a diagnosis. As the NICE section above explains, a diagnosis comes from a specialist’s full assessment.

Sources

Sources checked on 21 October 2026.

ADHD vs. ADD: Demystifying the Labels for Clear UK Diagnosis