Objective: To investigate the efficiency of the three attentional networks in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: Subjects were 25 children, aged 7 to 12 years, with DSM Ⅳ ADHD and 25 non ADHD controls matched by age, sex and IQ. Attentional networks tests were performed in all the subjects on an IBM compatible computer. Results: No differences were found between the ADHD children and the normal controls in alerting and orienting effects. However, ADHD children had a significantly larger executive control effect than their normal counterparts. The general accuracy of the ADHD children was significantly lower than that of the normal controls. Conclusion: ADHD children may have impairments in their executive control network of attention.