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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