ADHD History
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ADHD history dates back as far as the 1840's. Dr. Heinrich Hoffman of Germany was the first doctor to describe ADHD behaviour in children.
According to the history of ADHD, Dr. Heinrich spent a great deal of time writing medical and psychiatry books, and devoted time to children who were considered 'busy and unmanageable'.
Dr. Hoffman also wrote children's poetry and illustrated stories. Dr. Hoffman's stories gave special attention to his characteristics of his story characters, such as 'Fidgety Philip' who was described quite accurately as an ADHD boy.
According to the history of ADHD, the ADHD characteristics in children were not actually studied until 1902. Sir George F. Still examined a group of children who were impulsive and hyperactive and who had additional behaviour problems.
According to Still's 1902 study, which was published for the Royal College of Physicians in England, the children's behaviour was believed to be a genetic dysfunction, and not the cause of poor parenting.
Still believed the behaviour was caused by an organic brain deviation caused either by inheritance or by brain trauma.
The 1950's were a time in the history of ADHD where doctors named the disorder. Children found to act impulsively, have concentration problems and hyperactivity were diagnosed with Minimal Brain Damage (MBD).
It was believed at this time in the history of ADHD that the disorder was caused by some form of brain damage.
But as the 1960's approached doctors began to doubt whether brain damage was the only cause of this behaviour.
The D of Damage was replaced to Dysfunction, renaming the condition Minimal Brain Disorder. And in 1988 doctors renamed the condition Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
History of ADHD has come a long way. Today doctors know that ADHD has a large spectrum. Children are typically diagnosed with either ADHD Predominantly hyperactive and Impulsive, ADHD Predominantly Inattentive, or ADHD Predominantly Combined.
There was a time in ADHD history when the only effective treatment for the condition was considered to be medication. Today, ADHD children are treated with a combination of medication and therapy.
There was also a time in modern ADHD history where ADHD was over-diagnosed. Doctors are now aware that some ADHD type symptoms are actually caused by other medical conditions.
Today doctors are aware that other conditions also can co-exist with ADHD. We are aware that children with ADHD can also have learning disabilities as well. Today's doctors also are aware of the fact that ADHD can have different affects on girls and boys.
There have been thousands of modern scientific, academic and medical papers written on ADHD which has provided doctors, parents, teachers and caregivers valuable information on the cause, the progression and the treatments for ADHD.
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