Alternate Theories: I don't know about absentee fathers and attention deficit/hyperactivity, but the theory running through the comments section that ADHD may just be a manifestation of anxiety in kids certainly makes sense.

I have adult patients of all ages who are inherently anxious people, but who exhibit many of the traits often ascribed to ADHD. They never complete a sentence before jumping to a new topic, they never seem to be paying attention when I talk to them, but instead to be concentrating on the next question they're going to ask, and they always look like they're on the verge of jumping out of their skins. I often think if only I could give them an IV drip of Valium during their visits, things would go so much smoother.