Attention-deficit disorder in children: the role of the nurse practitioner.

Attention-deficit disorder is a relatively common syndrome; it is probably the behavior disorder of childhood that primary care practitioners most frequently see. This article describes 1) the clinical picture, subtypes and possible etiologic factors involved in the disorder; 2) the diagnostic evaluation of the child who presents with symptoms suggestive of this syndrome; 3) the natural history of the disorder and its relationship to other disorders of childhood, adolescence and adult life; and 4) the management of the disorder. The nurse practitioner can play a major role in evaluating these children, in designing a proper multimodality treatment program, in making referrals for appropriate types of intervention and in monitoring the results of this multimodality therapeutic program over time.