History
of ADHD: “The Story of Fidgety Philip”
 While
there is little definitive history of ADHD, attention deficit
disorder has likely been in existence for hundreds of years.
The first known description of ADHD dates back to Dr. Heinrich
Hoffman in 1845. According to the National Institute of
Mental Health, Dr. Hoffman was a physician who wrote books
on medicine, psychiatry, and children’s poetry. He
became interested in children’s poetry during his
quest to find good reading materials for his young son.
Dr.
Hoffman’s book of poems was about children and their
personalities. One of his poems, “The Story of Fidgety
Philip” accurately describes an ADHD
child. Here is an excerpt from the poem about Fidgety
Philip at the dinner table:
“Let
me see if Philip can be a little gentleman; let me see if
he is able to sit still for once at table.” Thus spoke,
in earnest tone, the father to his son; and the mother looked
very grave to see Philip so misbehave.
But Philip he did not mind; his father who was so kind …
See the naughty, restless child, growing still more rude
and wild, till his chair falls over quite.
Philip screams with all his might, catches at the cloth,
but then, that makes matters worse again. Down upon the
ground they fall, glasses, bread, knives forks and all …
Poor Papa and poor Mamma look quite cross, and wonder how
they shall make their dinner now.”
How
many parents of a child with attention deficit/hyperactivity
disorder have experienced a “Fidgety Philip”
scenario at the dinner table? Virtually all of them can
relate to Dr. Hoffman’s description of an ADHD child,
even though his description was written more than 150 years
ago, making a permanent mark in the history of ADHD. This
should give hope to those who are parenting
an ADHD child. Through the years, there have been millions
of children with attention difficulties yet they have grown
to have happy and fulfilling lives.
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