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Attention Deficit Disorder A common mental disorder that is becoming increasingly common among children in the United States is Attention Deficit Disorder. 3%-6% of the child population (about 3.5 million kids) in the US have ADD and the numbers are increasing as the time goes on. Approximately 15 million people in the US have Attention Deficit Disorder, but there are many aspects of this disorder that many people are not even aware of. It is known that ADD is genetic, meaning that if a family member has this disorder, the child will soon develop the same disorder. Yet, ADD is a neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system, as well as the motivational system. ADD affects two important roles of the brain that are connected with the ability to pay attention and the ability to regulate motor activity. ADD is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. There is a deficiency in the brain’s ability to produce and use certain chemicals called transmitter substances (also known as neutrotransmitters!). The behavioural aspects of ADD commonly fall into three different categories. These categories are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Inattention means failure to pay attention and the characteristics