The diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has changed greatly through the years. A century ago, it didn’t even exist. One of the first references to children who were unable to concentrate, hyperactive and displayed problems with learning was in 1902 [1]. DSM-I made no reference to the diagnosis. The closest diagnosis clinicians could cite was Minimal Brain Dysfunction [2], which was used to describe children who had hyperactive and impulsive behavior. The syndrome was thought to be of organic etiology.
The Evolution of the ADHD Diagnosis and its Implications for DSM-5
