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By
Robert Seith
CWK Network
Senior Producer
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“It is the way that [Attention Deficit Disorder] manifests in boys … more externally, with behavior problems, acting out. The squeaky wheel of course is going to get the oil. And girls, for a number of reasons, aren’t usually the squeaky wheel.”–
Psychologist Dawn Cook, Ph.D., discussing the differences between boys and girls with ADD
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Seventeen-year-old Laura Givens has Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).
“I can’t concentrate at all; like, I’ll just stare off to space. I’ll just zone out into my own mind … thinking about things,” she says.
Givens says she’ll try to read, but her mind will wander or she’ll daydream. And that’s typically what ADD is like for a lot of girls.
“With girls, there tends to be more internalization of symptoms,” says Psychologist Dawn Cook, Ph.D. “She doesn’t run around, she’s not impulsive, she doesn’t talk back, she’s not on the go 24/7; she’s great, she’s well-behaved and she’s actually a nice little girl.”
In fact, in a recent Harris survey, 40 percent of teachers said ADD was harder to spot in girls than in boys.
But while girls may not “act out” like boys, they do become just as frustrated about school, and they wonder what’s wrong with them. They also often become depressed.
“I guess I was like, depressed and I did have anxiety problems, but I didn’t get medicine until like 7 th or 8 th grade,” says Givens.
“I think girls have a higher risk for shutting down, for giving up,” says Dr. Cook. “For not meeting their potential.”
According to experts, that’s why parents need to watch girls closely. If your daughter is inconsistent in school, and seems smarter than her grades indicate, consider getting an assessment. She may have ADD.
“We’re afraid of labels,” says Dr. Cook, “but the child is already getting a label. Is it better to have a label that there is a real cause that’s going to explain and help lift this burden, or is it better that they be called lazy, that they be called an underachiever? That’s a label.”
Givens agrees, and says that once she was diagnosed with ADD, she was able to get medication and reach her full potential.
“If you think you’re struggling and you think you have ADD … tell your parents, try to get some professional help,” she says. |
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By Larry Eldridge, Jr.
CWK Network, Inc.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), one of the most common mental disorders among children, affects approximately 2 million U.S. youth each year. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that on average, at least one child in every U.S. classroom needs help coping with the disorder. While boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls, studies suggest that the severity of the condition is often overlooked in girls, mainly because they don’t “act out” as much as boys with ADHD.
In a recent study, 228 girls ages 6 to 12 in day camps were examined. Of those girls, 140 were diagnosed with ADHD and recruited to specialty camps; the others were told the camps were held for “enrichment” purposes. According to the researchers, the ADHD girls – who stopped their medication for the research – appeared to be socially isolated and uninterested in following directions. Like ADHD boys, they scored poorly on tests that required them to set goals, alter strategies in response to changing situations and make plans.
However, the ADHD girls did not exhibit the same intensity of physical aggression attributed to most ADHD boys. The girls instead engaged in “relational aggression” – getting back at a peer by excluding her from a group or spreading rumors instead of aiming direct aggression toward her. The study’s authors conclude that parents, educators and medical professionals must take into account the different ways and levels of severity in which girls and boys exhibit symptoms of ADHD. |
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What
Parents Need to Know
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By Larry Eldridge, Jr.
CWK Network, Inc.
As a parent, understanding more about ADHD may help you determine whether or not your daughter is at an increased risk for the disorder. While the causes remain unclear, the researchers have identified several factors that may play a role in the disorder, including altered brain functions. According to the Mayo Clinic, parts of the brain that regulate attention, planning and motor control seem to be less active in children with ADHD. In addition, adults and children with ADHD appear to have low levels of dopamine – a brain chemical with a number of important functions. Genetics may also affect whether or not a child develops ADHD. Most children with ADHD have at least one relative with the disorder, and approximately one-third of men with a history of ADHD have children who also have ADHD. Finally, a number of studies show that pregnant women who smoke are at increased risk of having children with ADHD. Additional studies suggest that alcohol or drug abuse during pregnancy may reduce activity of the nerve cells (neurons) that produce dopamine, possibly increasing the risk for the baby to develop ADHD.
Despite the fact that ADHD is often overlooked in girls, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) says that the symptoms of the disorder in girls appear similar to the symptoms observed in boys. These symptoms can be classified as “inattention” and “hyperactivity-impulsivity,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Inattentive” Symptoms (if your child shows six or more of these symptoms for six months, consult your child’s physician):
- Does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work or other activities
- Has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities
- Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
- Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions)
- Has trouble organizing activities
- Avoids, dislikes or does not want to do things that take a lot of mental effort for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework)
- Loses items (toys, school assignments, pencils, books, tools, etc) needed for tasks and activities
- Often easily distracted
- Often forgetful in daily activities
“Hyperactivity-Impulsivity” Symptoms: (if your child shows six or more of these symptoms for at least six months, consult your child’s physician)
- Fidgets with hands or feet, or squirms in seat
- Gets up from seat when he/she is expected to stay seated
- Runs around or climbs when and where it is not appropriate
- Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly
- Is often “on the go” or often acts as if “driven by a motor”
- Talks excessively
- Blurts out answers before questions have been finished
- Has trouble waiting his or her turn
- Interrupts or intrudes on others (during conversations or games, for example)
Before a physician diagnoses this disorder, he or she will require a detailed history of your child’s behavior. According to experts at the University of California-Davis, you should be ready to provide information about the following topics to your child’s physician:
- Specific problems that you have encountered during your child’s development, beginning as early as possible (school reports are very helpful)
- Sibling relationships
- Recent life changes
- Any family history of ADHD
- Eating habits
- Sleep patterns
- Speech and language development
- Any problems during the mother’s pregnancy or during delivery
- Any history of medical or physical problems, particularly allergies, chronic ear infections and hearing difficulties
If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, you have several treatment options to consider. The most common treatment is the use of medication. Stimulant drugs, such as Ritalin, Cylert and Dexedrine, when used with medical supervision, are usually considered quite safe and effective, according to the NIMH. Nine out of 10 children usually improve while taking one of the three stimulant drugs, so if one doesn’t help, your physician should try the others. Your child should try a new medication for at least a week before determining whether or not it helps. However, your child’s doctor may also adjust the dosage of a current medication before switching to a different drug.
Other treatments can be used alone or in conjunction with medication. These options include psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, social-skills training, support groups and parent skills training. These treatments help parents and children learn how to cope with the disorder while boosting self-esteem. |
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
Mayo Clinic
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
National Institute of Mental Health
University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Davis
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