HISTORY PART 1
In more recent history, ADHD symptoms were recorded in the mid 1800s in children with nervous system injuries and diseases. In 1848, a German physician wrote a children’s’ story, “Fidgety Phil”, describing hyperactive behavior.
British pediatrician, George Frederic Still was probably the first to do any comprehensive observations of ADHD children. He reported his observations in a series of lectures at the Royal College of Physicians in 1902. He described the children he observed as aggressive, defiant, lawless, overactive, attention impaired, dishonest and accident-prone. He also described them as having a “defect in moral control”. He didn’t paint a very pretty picture of the disorder for sure! His observations went on to note that the behavior was biological rather than a result of poor parenting. He theorized that the behavior was either inherited or the result of an injury at birth.
After an encephalitis epidemic in 1917-18, doctors noted that many children showed the symptoms that Still described. Doctors speculated that the behaviors were a result of brain damage. Children who displayed symptoms were labeled as brain damaged. Even if they did not suffer from encephalitis, they were give the “brain damaged” label. Later, when doctors realized that many of these children were too bright to have suffered brain damage, the disorder was labeled “minimal brain damage” and even later, “minimal brain dysfunction”.
As far back as 1937, doctors discovered that amphetamines were helpful in reducing hyperactive and impulsive behavior. Even with this knowledge, stimulant medications were not used much for treatment until the 1950s and 60s when there was an increase in psychiatric drug intervention. By the mid 1960s, stimulants were a common treatment.
parenting, fIn the early 1960s, Stella Chase and other researchers described “Hyperactive Child Syndrome”. Chase felt that the syndrome had a biological cause. Many others at the time believed the cause to be environmental. Many times poor ood additive and environmental toxins have been blamed for a child’s ADHD behavior. Some of these environmental theories still persist, but with recent brain chemical studies, environmental theories are getting harder to buy into. There is simply too much research showing that the cause lies in the biochemical processes -- in the neurotransmitters in the brain, and that it has a genetic factor.
an Studies ADHD advances continue. Many of these advances have helped to dispel many of the myths about ADHD. Studies now show that adults can exhibit symptoms just band it’s not Boys that can have ADHD
http://www.freewebs.com/historyofadhd/
Our daughter, who has ADHD was born not breathing and blue. Her APGAR scores were 0. Her brain was without oxygen for a period of time. She did start breathing and had no symptoms until she was supposed to be reading.
In 2nd grade she was in remedial reading and in danger of being placed in special education classes because she was unable to meet minimal reading required for her grade.
We suspected ADD in spite of the fact her behavior was exemplary. One month after she began medication, her reading skills were two years ahead of her age. She continued medication and finished HS with honors and was inducted into the honor society. We never needed to remind her to take her med's. She knew the difference had too dramatic an effect. In fact, her friends and teachers never understood how profoundly she is affected by ADD until they experience being around her on a day she does forget.
Was it Brain damage, hereditary or some other cause? Who knows. Is it real and does medication work? Absolutely.