The History Of ADHD Goes Back Way Further Than Just The Last Few Decades

When it comes to the history of adhd many people think that this is a modern disorder that has not been around for very many years. Yet people like Albert Einstein, Pablo Picasso, and even Christopher Columbus are all suspected of having had this very common disorder. While there was no way of diagnosing them and no treatment was available it is believed from written documentation that they had the symptoms we now associate with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Upon researching the history of adhd one discovers that the first person who ever described the disorder in the way in which has come to be accepted and understood was a doctor by the name of Heinrich Hoffman. Dr. Hoffman came up with this term as far back as 1845 when he was a physician. He concentrated much of his time and efforts to compiling and writing books about medicine and psychiatry.

Dr. Hoffman loved to write poetry as well as stories for children. He enjoyed this pastime as a way of occupying himself when he could not obtain reading material that he considered to be suitable for his son who was only three years old. From these literary efforts came Dr. Hoffman's Book of Poems and it boasted everything from poetry for children to art. The book was special because of the way that it focused so closely on the characteristics of children which, at that time in history, was all but unheard of. A story in the book called The Story of Fidgety Philip is startling in its incredibly accurate albeit entertaining description of a young boy called Philip who, if he lived and breathed today, would be diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.