Introduction: two-stage cross-sectional study to evaluate the attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD) prevalence in five to 12 years old apparently healthy scholar population from Bogotá (Colombia). Materials and methods: both parents and teachers were delivered with questionnaires enquiring about the confirmed presence or suspicion of ADHD disorder in studied children as well as their socio-economic characteristics. Then, a clinical evaluation and the DSM-IV checklist, validated for Colombian population, were made. Results: from 1010 children evaluated, 584 (57%) fulfilled the criteria to be diagnosed with ADHD, for a total population prevalence of 5.7 per cent. The subtypes prevalences were: 0.8 per cent for hyperactive, 2.5 per cent for inattentive and 2.4 per cent for combined. A significant relationship (p=0.00) was found among general group, hyperactive and combined subtypes with male gender. On the other hand, a predominance of female gender was found in the inattention group. Only nine of the ADHD detected children had some type of treatment. Conclusions: ADHD is a frequent scholar-age child condition which may behave different, even in the same country, depending on several factors like genetic or environmental.