| |
The History of ADHD,
The Important Stuff.
After researching the history of ADHD in books, manuals, the Internet and so on.
My mind boggles!
Every source seems to have a different spot where ADHD first appeared. Treating the history of ADHD it like something that can be pinned down to an exact moment.
One source will talk about ancient philosophers describing overactive children. Another will quote a poem written the 1800s.
What do ancient philosophers or 200 year old German poets have to do with my ADHD??? As if I didn't have a hard enough time concentrating on things.
I believe it would be hard to trace the first case any mental condition. Let's just say that as long as there have been people ADHD and related disorders have existed.
Sound reasonable?
Good!
Now that I have established that. We can look at the history of ADHD based on research and results, rather than anecdote.
The first doctor to study ADHD in History.
 In the early 20th century doctors began addressing the symptoms and behaviors of ADHD. The first observed ADHD symptoms were hyperactivity and impulsiveness. This makes sense because these are what gets children noticed and into trouble in school settings.
In 1902, a pediatrician George Still lectured about Morbid Defect of Moral Control at the Royal College of Physicians in England. Still described children with behavioral problems, caused by an innate hereditary dysfunction and not by poor child rearing or environment.
Well what does that mean?
He was the first to suggest that there is a biological basis or actual condition causing the ADHD symptoms. It wasn't just that the children weren’t treated well or were exposed to chaotic environments. They had an actual condition the set them apart for others.
In 1918 to 1920 there was a flu pandemic leaving many survivors with encephalitis is swelling of the brain due to infection.
So many of these people were showing the symptoms of ADHD that it was thought they were caused by brain damage.
So many names in ADHD History.
Over the next 40 years in ADHD history the name changed a lot.
“minimal brain damage”, “minimal brain dysfunction”, “learning/behavioural disabilities” and “hyperactivity” were all thrown about. It seems no one really knew what to call it.
The idea of hyperactivity not being caused by brain damage was first described by Stella Chess as,”Hyperactive Child Syndrome” in 1960. She did a lot of research involving behaviour of children.
She developed interviewing techniques for children and their parents. Adding understanding about how to find out about the unique relationships between children and their parents. She learned how to understand childrens answers in adults terms.
The First Medication
In 1937, while studying the effects of stimulants on subjects with postpneumoencephalography headaches Dr. Charles Bradley of Providence, RI discovered that children taking the Benzedrine a stimulant improved their school work.
Postpneumoencephalography Huge Word
Seriously what’s up what doctors and long words…
For those curious it refers to a procedure in which spinal and brain fluid is drained from around the brain and replaced with air.
Don’t ask me why they did that.
Eek, no wonder they had headaches.
This important part is that it was discovered that stimulants can increase concentration and in turn productivity.
Hmm...
very interesting!
Years later in the mid 50’s Methylphenidate (Ritalin) was patented.
and not soon after used as a treatment for ADHD.
The main steps in the history of ADHD.
There have been lots and lots of names, many ADHD treatment options and ADHD medications. But this is the basic summary of what I think is important in ADHD history.- In 1968 Hyperkinetic Reaction was added to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) used by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- In 1980 ADD was added to the DSM-IIIR. This is the bible of psychiatry in North America called the diagnosis “Undifferentiated Attention Deficit Disorder.”
- in 1994 – DSM-IV described three groupings within ADHD, which can be simplified as: inattentive; hyperactive-impulsive; and a combindbined type.
- 2010 I am creating a resource about ADHD encompassing more and more. ADHD girls and women, treatment options, places to share stories.
To wrap up the History of ADHD
The names and causes are being studied all the time.
Lets expect more changes and more truths about ADHD in the future. Stay up to date with ADHD by reading this site. As more and more happens with ADHD I create more and more for you.
It's all right here and it is growing.
Like this site? Please share this ADHD site.
Return from History of ADHD to What is ADHD
Return from History of ADHD to ADHDaction homepage
|
