ADHD and Girls
When someone hears the term ADHD the first thing that usually comes to mind is the boy they saw running all over the place or a boy having a major meltdown at the mall much to the chagrin of his parents. Unless one knows personally of a girl struggling with this disorder, the wound-up boy is the image that instantly appears. Of course one reason for this is the fact that boys with the diagnosis outnumber girls 3 to 1. Another reason is that ADHD in girls is more often associated with impaired attention and concentration rather than hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Unfortunately, research has shown that this stereotype leads parents, teachers, and health professionals to often miss diagnose girls with another condition such as depression or anxiety or to simply dismiss significant difficulties all together. Whether they are a boy or girl a child with trouble learning and peer relationships is more likely to be ignored while the child exhibiting disruptive behavior is not only more likely to be noticed but also more likely to be referred for evaluation and treatment. Thus, girls are often under treated which results is years of suffering in silence and subsequently leads to self-doubt and low self-esteem.
As ADHD children get older, boys are more likely to receive additional diagnosis of disruptive or conduct disorders. Boys and girls appear to have an equal opportunity to have co-occurring anxiety and depression. However, ADHD girls seem to be more likely to smoke or drink than ADHD boys during the teen years.
Educational professionals need additional training to be better able to spot the disorder sooner as early intervention can prevent more serious symptoms down the road. Mental health professionals need to develop instruments that may be more sensitive to detecting ADHD in girls. This will require shifting some resources to more in-depth research on the diagnosis and treatment of the disorder in girls.
Parents need to work closely with teachers and not put off addressing problems related to poor academic achievement or difficulty getting along with other kids. Whether the school is concerned or not, parents should be advocates for their child and insist on an evaluation to determine the cause of the difficulties. Whether they are related to ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety or delayed maturation or a combination or one or more of these, the sooner cause is identified and appropriate interventions are initiated the better.
Once everything is out in the open and the underlying cause is identified all of the parties involved feel like they have been “taken off the hook.” No individual is the cause of the problems. The condition is. Now the “blame game” can stop and help can begin.
Parents should not be afraid to seek help thinking that there child will immediately be placed on medication. Depending on the findings of the evaluation, special education and/or psychological treatment may be sufficient to turn things around and keep them that way.
When a student meets the eligibility criteria for special education services set forth in federal and state guidelines, an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) will be developed and implemented. Even when a student may not meet criteria for special education they may be eligible for counseling and classroom modifications to help them improve their academic achievement as well as develop a more positive self-concept and get along better with other kids and adults.
Recent findings from a major research project conducted by the National Institute for Mental Health indicates that in the sort-term a fair number of children will receive sufficient help from psychological intervention in the long-term there is actually no difference in the amount of improvement observed between children receiving medication or only psychological treatment.
While there is no doubt that there is a group of ADHD kids with moderate to severe symptoms that definitely need to be on medication there is also a group with mild to moderate symptoms that will be fine with only psychological treatment. The unanswered question is how to accurately determine which group a given child belongs to.
Girls in particular will benefit from interventions that develop improved attention, concentration and memory functions. They also thrive on the techniques that reduce anxiety and increase self-esteem and confidence. Learning to use problem solving to cope with difficult situations and how to use relaxation to help with frustration are also very helpful. Girls are usually quick learners when it comes to learning and applying specialized training in social skills. Total Focus provides all of these and more.
When considering psychological treatment, the key to success is intensive and comprehensive treatment. Parents are often drawn to products that promise a quick and easy fix. These usually involve only one treatment modality with has either moderate or absolutely no substantial benefit supported by scientific research. These products are usually quite expensive as well as disappointing.
Total Focus provides a psychological treatment program that is based on not one but a combination of research supported modalities that are sufficiently intense and comprehensive to provide the desired results while costing significantly less than programs that are unproven.
While some parents may back away from a home use program because they think it will be too time consuming, they fail to take into consideration the time of going to professional appointments and the hassle of fitting them in to busy schedules. Total Focus is actually convenient and fun to use. Parents can receive effective and stimulating coaching by listening to a CD on their way to work. Parents and kids only need to devote 20 to 40 minutes several times a week to work on exercises. Once the process is started, the newfound success and peace of mind creates the motivation necessary to complete the program. Portions of the program can be repeated as necessary as a “booster session” to keep everyone on track.
