History of ADHD

In this day and age, you would think that ADHD has been around forever. The disorder itself has been around for quite some time, but it was only recently that it was given the name Attention Deficit Disorder. Before that, the disorder had various names that changed over the years.

In 1902, there is the first documented disorder relating to impulsiveness. This was in Britain, and the doctor who diagnosed the impulsive disorder was named Dr. Still. He called this disorder "Defect of Moral Control" and he believed that the diagnosed individual had a medical disorder beyond their control.

After this event, the next documentation of similar symptoms was in 1922. Here, the symptoms we associate with ADHD were given the name "Post-Encephalitic Behavior Disorder." What this title means I am not quite sure, but that was the name during this time period.

The next event in the history of ADHD was in 1937, where Dr. Charles Bradley introduced the use of stimulants in children who were hyperactive. I still find it interesting that stimulants were thought of to treat hyperactive children when they were already bouncing off the walls. While it is true that stimulants calm hyperactive kids down, how did someone hypothesize that this would occur? After this, in 1956, Ritalin was introduced as the drug of choice to treat hyperactivity.

In the 1960s, stimulants were used by a wider population. The only symptom that was really documented at this point was hyperactivity. In the early 1960s, the disorder was called "Minimal Brain Dysfunction". At the end of the decade, though, the name of the disorder was changed to "Hyperkinetic Disorder of Childhood."

The next event that occurred in relation of ADHD was that new symptoms were added to the realm of the disorder. Along with hyperactivity, added symptoms were lack of focus and spaceyness associated with impulsiveness. Impulsiveness now included verbal, cognitive and motor impulsiveness.

In 1980, the disorder was given its current name of Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity. This was documented in the DSM-III put out by the American Psychiatric Association. ADD and ADHD were two different diagnoses.

Next, in 1987, ADD was changed to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The American Psychiatric Associated noted that this was a medical diagnosis, and not purely psychological. They also noted that ADHD could cause behavioral issues.

In 1996, a new medication called Adderall was approved by the FDA for the treatment of ADHD. After a period of time, it was deemed to be better at treating the disorder since it lasted longer and was easier to come down off of. In 1999, other medications were added to treat ADHD such as Concerta and Focalin. In 2003, Strattera was introduced as the first ADHD medication that was not a stimulant. This drug acted like an antidepressant, but increased the amount of norepinephrine in the brain.

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Age When ADHD is Diagnosed

Some parents notice signs of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in their kids before they even start school. The child may not be able to sit still for very long or pay attention to games or television. But just because a parent thinks their child shows signs of ADHD does not mean that they have the disorder. Because children develop and grow at very different rates, it is crucial to get a professional's opinion of the child's growth and behavior. You may want to wait until the child enters school to definitely diagnose the disorder.

ADHD may not be noticed by parents or another family member, or it may go unnoticed until the child runs into problems at school. Because school is very structured and task-oriented, ADHD is more apparent than anywhere else. Due to these circumstances, it is often a teacher who first notices ADHD in a child. Teachers come into contact every day with all types of children, and over time they become aware of children who have learning difficulties in comparison to the average child. Often, a teacher will mention this to the parents and suggest getting the child evaluated for ADHD. One thing that teachers do not notice, though, are children who are passive and blend into the woodwork. Children with inattentive ADD are often quiet and spacey, and these qualities do not stand out in the classroom. These qualities are also not paired with the picture of the hyperactive child that comes to mind when you think of ADHD.

Once it has been suggested that a child may have ADHD, the next step is to rule out that the symptoms are not being caused by anything physical. Physical disorders such as thyroid problems can mimic ADHD symptoms. A general practitioner can physically evaluate your child to rule this out. After this, it will be necessary to find a specialist who is qualified to test the child. There are many types of specialists that can diagnose ADHD, and it is up to the parents in finding one that works. Doctors that test for ADHD are child psychologists, psychiatrists, neurologists and other types of licensed mental health professionals. If you have trouble finding someone who does the testing, CHADD can be a great resource for this.

After you find a specialist, you will need to bring the child being evaluated as well as a family member who has known them since they were young. A thorough history will need to be taken to accurately document when the problems associated with ADHD began. After this has taken place, several diagnostic tests will be given to test the presence of ADHD.

There is no one age that ADHD is diagnosed, but it is very common that once a child enters school that the symptoms will be more apparent in a structured environment. But there are many individuals who are not diagnosed until adulthood, and this is becoming more and more prevalent as the rate of adults diagnosed with ADHD skyrockets.