Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder most frequently diagnosed in children.
According to the
Boys are more than
ADHD was originally called hyperkinetic reaction of childhood. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the American Psychiatric Association (APA) formally recognized it as a mental disorder, and in the 1980s, the diagnosis became known as “attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity.”
Read more for a timeline of ADHD.
The symptoms of ADHD were first described in 1798 by the Scottish physician Sir Alexander Crichton as “the incapacity of attending with a necessary degree of constancy to any one object.”
In 1902, British pediatrician Sir George Frederic Still
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Benzedrine as a medication in 1936. Dr. Charles Bradley stumbled across some unexpected side effects of this medication the next year. Young patients’ behavior and performance in school improved when he gave it to them.
However, Bradley’s contemporaries largely ignored his findings. Many years later, doctors and researchers began to recognize the benefit of what Bradley had discovered.
The APA issued the first “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)” in 1952. This manual listed all of the recognized mental disorders. It also included known causes, risk factors, and treatments for each condition. Doctors still use an updated version today.
The APA did not recognize ADHD in the first edition. A second DSM was published in 1968. This edition included hyperkinetic reaction of childhood for the first time.
The FDA approved the psychostimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin) in 1955. It became more popular as an ADHD treatment as the disorder became better understood and diagnoses increased. The medication is still used to treat ADHD today.
The APA released a third edition of the DSM (DSM-III) in 1980. They changed the name of the disorder from hyperkinetic reaction of childhood to attention deficit disorder (ADD). Scientists believed hyperactivity was not a common symptom of the disorder.
This listing created two subtypes of ADD: ADD with hyperactivity, and ADD without hyperactivity.
The APA released a revised version of the DSM-III in 1987. They removed the hyperactivity distinction and changed the name to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The APA included the three symptoms of inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity into a single list of symptoms and did not identify subtypes of the disorder.
The APA released the fourth edition of the DSMin 2000. The fourth edition established the three subtypes of ADHD used by healthcare professionals today:
- combined type ADHD
- predominantly inattentive type ADHD
- predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type ADHD
There are still debates about whether the name is an accurate reflection of the condition.
ADHD cases began to climb significantly in the 1990s. There may be a few potential factors behind the rise in diagnoses:
- Doctors were able to diagnose ADHD more efficiently.
- More parents were aware of ADHD and were reporting their children’s symptoms.
- More children were actually developing ADHD.
More and more medications to treat the disorder became available as the number of ADHD cases rose. The medications also became more effective at treating ADHD. Many have long-acting benefits for people who need relief from symptoms for longer periods.
Scientists are trying to identify the causes of ADHD as well as possible treatments. A
Researchers are dedicated to finding the underlying cause of the disorder. They’re aiming to make treatments more effective and to help find cures.