 The medical literature has described symptoms similar to ADHD since the 19th century . ADHD , its diagnosis , and its treatment have been considered controversial since the 1970s . The controversies have involved clinicians , teachers , policymakers , parents , and the media . Topics include ADHD 's causes and the use of stimulant medications in its treatment . Most healthcare providers accept ADHD as a genuine disorder , and the debate in the scientific community mainly centers on how it is diagnosed and treated . The condition was officially known as attention deficit disorder ( ADD ) from 1980 to 1987 while before this it was known as hyperkinetic reaction of childhood . 
