Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that becomes
apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. It is hard
for these children to control their behavior and/or pay attention. It is
estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have ADHD, or approximately 2
million children in the United States. This means that in a classroom of 25 to
30 children, it is likely that at least one will have ADHD.
ADHD was first described by Dr. Heinrich Hoffman in 1845. A physician who wrote
books on medicine and psychiatry, Dr. Hoffman was also a poet who became
interested in writing for children when he couldn't find suitable materials to
read to his 3-year-old son. The result was a book of poems, complete with
illustrations, about children and their characteristics. "The Story of Fidgety
Philip" was an accurate description of a little boy who had attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder. Yet it was not until 1902 that Sir George F. Still
published a series of lectures to the Royal College of Physicians in England in
which he described a group of impulsive children with significant behavioral
problems, caused by a genetic dysfunction and not by poor child rearing—children
who today would be easily recognized as having ADHD.1 Since then, several
thousand scientific papers on the disorder have been published, providing
information on its nature, course, causes, impairments, and treatments.
A child with ADHD faces a difficult but not insurmountable task ahead. In order
to achieve his or her full potential, he or she should receive help, guidance,
and understanding from parents, guidance counselors, and the public education
system. This document offers information on ADHD and its management, including
research on medications and behavioral interventions, as well as helpful
resources on educational options.
Because ADHD often continues into adulthood, this document contains a section on
the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in adults.