When was attention deficit disorder first discovered

What if you learned that the very first detailed published description of a condition that we now think of as ADHD was in , when John Adams was president of the United States? Or that references can be found even further back in time—all the way to Ancient Greece!

The earliest mention of what seems to be ADHD was by Hippocrates, often called the father of modern medicine.

He lived in Greece from about to BC. He was known to have made at least one reference to some patients who could not keep their focus on any one thing for long and had exceptionally quick reactions to things around them.

Medical textbooks in the s did refer to children who had what we think of today as ADHD symptoms. Then in , British pediatrician Sir George Frederic Still delivered three lectures about a group of children who had difficulty paying attention for a long time.

He said they had a hard time self-regulating and could be aggressive or very emotional and defiant. He noted that they did not have any intellectual impairments, in general, and that more boys than girls were affected. Still also looked into the question of whether the unnamed condition was something passed down in families.

The disorder was the result of an epidemic of encephalitis lethargica, a form of a brain inflammation caused by a virus. They can come as a tablet, liquid, patch, or orally disintegrating tablet. Below is a list of all stimulant and non-stimulant ADHD medications through history. The date noted with each indicates the year that each variation attained FDA approval 3 , 10 , December Updated September 28, Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, No.

June October Pediatrics Nov , 5 ; DOI: Food and Drug Administration. Current through May You must be logged in to post a comment.

It appears JavaScript is disabled in your browser. Please enable JavaScript and refresh the page in order to complete this form. Children who have biological parents or siblings with the disorder are more likely to have it. Researchers are dedicated to finding the underlying cause of the disorder. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that most often occurs in children.

Symptoms of ADHD include trouble…. Parents may wonder about the differences in ADHD in girls vs. ADHD is less common in girls, who are also less likely to be diagnosed even if…. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD is one of the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. Left untreated, it can disrupt…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Marney A. Early s. The introduction of Benzedrine.

No recognition. The introduction of Ritalin. A changing definition. Finally, a name that fits.