Our goal is to help you and your family find solutions to those little ups and downs in life that tend to keep all of us from being as successful as possible. We hope you find this issue of Health Tips for Success to be useful in some small way, as you and your loved ones travel life’s different paths. All articles are derived from published materials, educational sources and years of experience for each author. Of course, in times of need, no e-newsletter should ever take the place of your family doctor or professional counselor. If you have comments or questions, please drop me a line at drfrank@drhuggiebear.com.

The widely used ADHD medication, Adderall XR, is now available in 5 mg, 15mg, and 25 mg capsules.  This allows more flexibility and better treatment of the most important aspect of ADHD, a person’s ability to focus on what they are doing.

Experts on general behavior frequently disagree on just how many people in the U.S. are ADHD. Past estimates vary from 3 to 10 percent and usually state that boys are 9 times more likely to have the traits. However, newer studies indicate that ratio is nearer three to one instead of nine to one. That means a lot of ADHD girls have gone un-noticed in the past and probably untreated.

There are three types of ADHD: hyperactive-impulsive type, inattentive type, and a combination of these two types. ( Symptoms of ADHD ) It’s really easy to spot someone with hyperactivity. They are restless, fidget a lot, talk too much and can’t sit still. When you mention these signs, almost every teacher and parent knows a 5 to 15 year old boy who fits the picture. So, why aren’t ADHD girls as easily spotted?

ADHD girls usually fall into the inattentive traits group. That means they may make careless mistakes, have difficulty paying attention, not follow instructions well, be easily distracted, and often forgetful, but are usually quieter in school and at home and are often overlooked. It’s true that boys may have these same symptoms, but unlike girls, are usually impulsive and/or hyperactive and draw a lot of attention to themselves. That makes ADHD boys easier to spot. Ok, now that you have a feel for the problem, let’s take a look at the very subtle traits that make it hard to “see” ADHD in the female gender.

• Seem to be less rowdy and less aggressive in athletics
• Often have less dramatic behavior both at school and home
• Don’t get in trouble at school, home or with the law as often
• Appear spacey or not interested until something really stimulates them
• Once stimulated appear to concentrate a lot better and get things done faster
• Are less likely to have learning disabilities, especially in reading or math
• Are less forgetful and a little more organized
• Usually do their homework and make somewhat better grades in school
• Make friends easier and keep a limited number of closer friends
• Are able to concentrate on after school activities better
• Seem withdrawn and quiet, and are often described as “She keeps to herself”

Did you notice that most of these ADHD-inattentive traits don’t seem to jump out at you? It’s no wonder that ADHD girls can go undetected well into their teen years! Parents and teachers tend to blame the symptoms of inattentiveness in girls on “mood swings” or “just being a girl”. In contrast, hyperactive five-year old boys may be labeled “just being a boy”, but are usually watched more closely as they grow older. This tendency to focus on males makes ADHD females harder to detect at an earlier age, even though new studies show that girls are twice as likely to have inattentive ADHD disorders. That means an ADHD girl is usually spotted in the seventh grade or later. In contrast, since ADHD boys are often hyper and disruptive in class, third, fourth and fifth grade teachers are usually the first ones to detect the disorder.

Why should we try to find these inattentive-ADHD kids at as early an age as possible?

Studies have clearly shown that treatment at an earlier age leads to a more productive, successful life with fewer problems in both adolescence and adulthood. ADHDers are more prone to drug abuse, criminal activity, and domestic violence, risk taking behaviors such as speeding and sex, marital problems, unemployment and many other social and economic problems. Therapy may include educational assistance, counseling, behavior-skills training, support groups, and medications. Any therapy should stress teaching and helping the child to focus in such a way as to pick up on all the little skills needed to function in life. You will need the help of your family doctor to evaluate and coordinate reasonable and effective treatment. It is very hard to self-treat ADHD and the failure rate for that type of ADHD therapy is almost 100 percent!

Early detection and treatment can dramatically improve one’s self esteem and emotional stability, resulting in a happier, more productive person capable of independent living. Raising one’s children to “leave the nest” and successfully live in society should be a goal of every nurturing parent. What can you do to detect ADHD in your daughter, a female student, or even a grown woman? I bet it’s easy now that you know what to look for! ( Spotting ADDS and ADHD in kids under 6 years old, Parents behavior guide for ADHD ) May you and your children “Live long and prosper”.

Worried about your 6 to 14 year old surfing the web safely?  Then Garfield Island may be the answer! This software application is easy to install and lets parents protect their children while having loads of fun on the web. Garfield Island includes kid safe browsers, “talking e-mail”, closed chat rooms, and allows parents to select and allow or restrict access from a list of over 7,500 pre-screened websites. You can even customize the access list to expand your kid’s on-line experience. Garfield Island may just provide you with peace of mind while allowing your child the freedom to explore his.

Allison is going to take a little time off from school and then start with articles dealing with ways for teachers to maximize their valuable teaching skills while coping with usual classroom problems. Her goal is to help teachers find practical solutions to those age-old dilemmas: too much material, too many kids, behavior problems, and not enough time.

Mom carried six-year-old Tony to see Dr. Sam for an ear infection.  On the way to the office they were discussing how smart doctors were and how he would probably give Tony a prescription.  After looking in his ears, Dr. Sam leaned toward Tony and said; “Ok big guy, you’ll have to take one of these pills three times a day for a week.”  Looking at first very puzzled, and then suddenly upset, Tony whispered loudly, “Mom!”  “If he’s so smart, let’s see how he’s gonna take the same pill three times in one day!”