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.
