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Written by Durham, N.C.
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Monday, 15 March 2010 08:24 |
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One of the important shortcomings of most of the research based information on ADHD is that the vast majority of studies have been conducted solely on boys, or, have included very few girls in the sample. As a result, the scientific literature on ADHD is almost exclusively based on male subjects. Recently, a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health on a large group of girls both with and without ADHD was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Biederman, J. et al., (1999). Clinical correlates of ADHD in females: Findings from a large group of girls ascertained from pediatric and psychiatric referral sources. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 38, 966-975. In this study, the authors examined the clinical correlates of ADHD in girls so that similarities and differences with what has been found among boys with ADHD could be ascertained. This study represents the largest and most comprehensive study of girls with ADHD that has been published to date.
Participants in this study were girls between the ages of 6 and 18. There were 140 girls who had been diagnosed with ADHD based on structured psychiatric interviews conducted with the child's parent(s). In addition, 122 girls of similar ages and other backgrounds who did not have ADHD were included as comparison subjects. These two groups of girls were compared on a wide variety of characteristics so that the researchers could learn about the problems associated with ADHD in females specifically. The major findings are summarized below.
- Among the girls who were diagnosed with ADHD, 59% had the combined type (i.e. both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms), 27% had the Predominantly Inattentive type, and only 7% had the Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive type.
- Overall, a significantly greater proportion of symptoms of inattention were present according to parents relative to either hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.
- Girls with ADHD were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with other disorders as well.
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Written by helpguide
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Saturday, 13 March 2010 10:31 |
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Parenting a child with a learning disability or learning disorder
As a parent, discovering that something may stand in the way of your child’s success can be unsettling and difficult. Whether or not your child has a learning disability, remember that the way you behave and what you do has the most impact on your child’s chances of success. Everyone faces obstacles and the most important thing you can show your child, apart from your consistent love and support, is how to deal with obstacles. A good attitude won’t solve the problem, but it can give your child hope and confidence that things can improve.
Your first task as the parent of a child with a learning disability is to recognize that there are many things you can do to help your child:
* Keep things in perspective – Try not to be intimidated by the news that your child may have a learning disability – all people learn differently. Your most important job is to support your child and to help them keep their self esteem in tact. Challenges can be overcome. Don’t let the tests, school bureaucracy and endless paperwork distract you from what is really important – providing your child with emotional, educational and moral support.
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Written by D'Arcy Lyness, PhD
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Saturday, 13 March 2010 10:23 |
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Noah felt like he was always hitting the books. While his friends were meeting for pickup soccer games after school, he was back home in his room reading and rereading the same material. But no matter how hard Noah studied, he had difficulty remembering things and his grades stayed average. Meanwhile, his friend Sean, who never seemed to study, always aced tests. It didn't seem fair.
Because Noah was so frustrated, his dad and teachers made an appointment with the school psychologist. She diagnosed Noah with a learning disability. Although Noah felt relieved to know what was going on, he was also worried. He didn't like the "disability" label. And he was concerned about what it might mean for his future. Would he be able to go to college and study engineering as he'd hoped?
What Are Learning Disabilities?
For someone diagnosed with a learning disability, it can seem scary at first. But a learning disability doesn't have anything to do with a person's intelligence - after all, such successful people as Walt Disney, Alexander Graham Bell, and Winston Churchill all had learning disabilities.
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