| Many people think ADHD is a recent "fad," a new | | | | these names for ADHD give an idea of where the |
| diagnosis. Nothing could be farther from the truth.In | | | | research was going at particular times. In the 1960's |
| 1845, Dr. Heinrich Hoffman, a physician who wrote | | | | and '70's much of the focus on what is now ADHD |
| books on medicine and psychiatry, wrote an illustrated | | | | was on hyperactivity, with an awareness of the |
| book of children's poetry about children and their | | | | "daydreaming" and distractibility coming only in the |
| characteristics. "The Story of Fidgety Philip" was a | | | | 1980's.In 1980 the National Institutes of Mental Health |
| portraite of an ADHD boy.ADHD was not "discovered" | | | | recognized Attention Deficit Disorder with or without |
| by Hoffman, however, or for many years later. In 1902 | | | | Hyperactivity as a disorder. ADHD was on its way to |
| Sir George F. Still described a group of impulsive | | | | becoming recognized as a "real" illness.In 1998 the |
| children with significant behavioral problems which he | | | | American Medical Association (AMA) stated that |
| ascribed to a genetic disorder and not poor parenting. | | | | ADHD is "one of the best-researched disorders in |
| He was describing ADHD over 100 years ago. He | | | | medicine."Unfortunately, even with all of this research, |
| called it "Morbid Defect of Moral Control."In 1922 the | | | | no one knows what causes ADHD or how to cure it. |
| name of what we now call ADHD was changed to | | | | But perhaps knowing a little of the history of ADHD will |
| "Post-Encephalitic Behavior Disorders" in 1922 and | | | | help you talk to your ADHD child and understand him a |
| "Minimal Brain Dysfunction" in 1960. The term "Attention | | | | little better.Angie Dixon is a writer and ADHD mom of |
| Deficit Disorder +/- Hyperactivity" (now ADHD) came | | | | an ADHD son, Jack. For a free report on helping your |
| into being, after "Hyperkinetic Reaction" in 1968.All of | | | | ADHD son, see Angie's site "That's My Son! |