Girls with ADD suffer in Silence
by Mary C. Bridgman ... Columbus Dispatch
Girls with ADD often struggle in Silence
Mary C . Bridgman
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
She places her homework in a clear folder at the front of her notebook so she remembers to turn it in, and she writes down every assignment in a day planner. Beth Paparodis, 16, struggles to pay attention in class.
But Beth is lucky. Her attentiondeficit disorder was diagnosed in first grade. She is the exception. Most girls with ADD go through school without the disorder being diagnosed or getting the help they need.
"I’ve learned to try to be interested," said Beth, a sophomore at Hilliard Davidson High School. This quarter, she made the honor roll.
ADD and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder used to be considered nine times more common in boys than girls.
Now physicians know that the disorder, which can be hereditary, doesn’t discriminate. It’s simply that ADD is diagnosed more often in boys because they typically have a noticeable hyperactive component.
ADD goes undiagnosed in two out of three girls who have the disorder, said Dr. Patricia Quinn, a Washington, D.C., pediatrician who specializes in ADD issues in girls and women.
They can hide their inattention longer than boys can restrain their outbursts. But their coping strategy comes at great cost to their self-esteem, said Quinn, coauthor of Gender Issues and ADD and Understanding Girls With AD/HD.
"There’s a saying," she said: "For ADD in boys, we worry about how their ADD affects others. For ADD in girls, we worry about how their ADD affects them."
ADD usually is diagnosed in boys at age 7 or 8; in girls, at 12 or 13.
Parents and teachers recognize the problem in females when the girls become overwhelmed at school, can’t stay on task or are disorganized, said Daniel Coury, chief of behavioral and developmental pediatrics at Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
About 80 percent of ADD kids are helped by medication, he said, though arriving at the right drug and dosage can require trial and error.
Sometimes, ADD is misdiagnosed as depression, especially in girls, because they can become quiet and withdrawn as their self-esteem sinks from doing poorly in school.
When the ADD is treated, depression goes away 60 percent of the time, Quinn said.
Parents often tell girls with ADD to "just try harder," said Thom Wendt, an intervention specialist at Alton Darby Elementary School in Hilliard.
"That is a disservice to the child," he said. "When (the girls) are not following directions, it’s not because they don’t want to, it’s because they aren’t able."
Most girls are relieved once they can put a name to their problem. One study found that 59 percent of high-school girls said they felt better once ADD was diagnosed.
"It gave them hope," Quinn said.
Beth still struggles with organization. Last year, she carried every textbook with her all day. The heavy load reassured her that she had what she needed. This year, she uses a secondperiod study hall to write a list of what she will need for each class and assignment, then goes to her locker to get it.
Her mother, Linda Paparodis, suspected something might be amiss when Beth was a preschooler and unable to sit still in church.
Mrs. Paparodis helps her daughter stay organized by e-mailing teachers about her daughter’s schoolwork and providing a weekly tutor. Beth said the oversight can be frustrating.
"Sometimes I just want to do it myself," she said.
Support from teachers is critical for girls with ADD, who tend to be people-pleasers.
ADD students in the South-Western school district receive colored folders for different subjects and timers to remind them to stay on task.
At Alton Darby, the youngest ADD children are given pictures demonstrating the tasks to be completed: hanging up a jacket or book bag, placing homework in a bin.
The students also have buddies who check that they wrote down homework assignments and have the right books in their bags.
More than boys, the effects of ADD on a girl’s self-esteem can be devastating, Coury said. Boys tend to redouble their efforts; girls often see themselves as stupid and feel humiliated. As they become older, they can become depressed or anxious.
Teen girls with untreated ADD more often participate in risky behavior, such as drug and alcohol abuse, and having casual sex.
Without a diagnosis, symptoms continue to haunt girls into womanhood, Quinn said.
Recent research that studied grown women with ADD who returned to college found their symptoms "almost look like post-traumatic stress syndrome," Quinn said.
One local woman, who asked not to be identified, had her ADD diagnosed four years ago after the disorder was diagnosed in her 7-year-old daughter and she recognized similar symptoms in herself.
"I grew up with no identity," she said. "I didn’t know why I was different. I was a very difficult child for my parents. They did not know how to handle me. I suffered by harsh discipline. They thought it was behavior that could be controlled. But it wasn’t."
Understanding Attention Deficit Disorder ...
Attention-deficit Disorder is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. In girls, it typically causes inattention; in boys, hyperactivity. Though some girls are hyperactive, it’s more common for them to have one of these forms of ADD, or a combination.
> “Daydreamers” often sit in the back of classrooms and appear to listen to teachers, but their minds wander. Often forgetful, they might get overwhelmed when assignments are due. They are sometimes shy and might move slower than their peers to get things done.
> “Chatty Cathys” talk incessantly even after being told to be quiet. They interrupt others and jump topics erratically. Easily excited and emotional, they might have trouble organizing their thoughts. Yet they are exciting to be around and sometimes become social leaders.
> “Tomboys” are drawn to risks such as tree-climbing and exploring, and prefer sports to other activities. Unlike many boys with ADD, These girls usually are cooperative at home and often work hard to please teachers
HOW TO HELP ...
Parents of children with ADD should...
*Talk to the child’s teachers and make them aware of the diagnosis. Children should be seated near the teacher and away from distractions such as windows and doors.
* Ask teachers to break down assignments into parts.
* Have the child maintain a homework log that travels between teacher and parent and is signed by both.
* Have homework done over several short time periods rather than one long one.
* Have homework done in the same place every day, and away from distractions. Parents should monitor homework assignments.
* Consider talking to the school about other special services or tutoring if these things don’t help.
Sources:
www.addvance.com
Children’s Hospital
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