“…For this reason, it has also been suggested that the eponym Fidgety Philip syndrome would be more appropriate than Struwwelpeter (the title of the whole book which includes a lot of different problems of child development and misbehavior) to refer to ADHD [6]. …”
As early as 1846, the typical symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were described by Heinrich Hoffmann (1809–1894). However, in Goethe’s masterpiece Faust (1832), the character of Euphorion strongly suggests ADHD diagnosis.
“…For this reason, it has also been suggested that the eponym Fidgety Philip syndrome would be more appropriate than Struwwelpeter (the title of the whole book which includes a lot of different problems of child development and misbehavior) to refer to ADHD [6]. …”
As early as 1846, the typical symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were described by Heinrich Hoffmann (1809–1894). However, in Goethe’s masterpiece Faust (1832), the character of Euphorion strongly suggests ADHD diagnosis.
In his book "Die Geschichte von dem Zappel-Philipp," the German psychiatrist Heinrich Hoffmann (1809-1894) offers a clinical vignette which raises the question of the description of a disobedient child or presenting hyperactivity symptoms. This article describes the historical context and the biographical aspects related to this interesting approach to describing a psychiatric syndrome to children and adults. It also underlines the importance of a global approach of ADHD that considers the familial environment and situational context of symptoms.
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