Can we effectively assess hyperactivity in schools?

All too often, restless, fidgety children who do not sit still or pay attention at school, and who may be disruptive and difficult to manage, are labelled 'hyperactive' by their teachers. The legitimacy of such a diagnosis is seldom challenged. Just what, though, does a child have to do to be hyperactive? This article sets out to review some of the measures which have been employed and to look, in particular, at their relevance in the assessment of activity levels within the classroom.