The Great ADD/ADHD Debate: Girls vs. Boys

Which gender has a greater prevalence of ADD and ADHD — girls or boys? Results of interviews conducted online by Harris Interactive of the general public, teachers, and sufferers of ADD / ADHD show that the majority of respondents believed that boys are affected more, most likely because girls with the disorder seem less likely to display disruptive behaviors such as aggression or hyperactivity.

This misconception is a bigger problem than it may seem as it leads to fewer specialist referrals and vast under-representation in clinical-based studies. It also blurs the line between which gender is perceived to have the higher number of ADD / ADHD cases and which gender actually does. This is because the number of girls diagnosed with ADD / ADHD is reduced by this lack of specialist referrals.

The survey also polled children living with ADD / ADHD, which revealed that gender has a great impact in diagnosing and treating the disorder.

Girls reported to have lower self esteem, and were 3 times more likely to be taking medication for depression preceding their ADD / ADHD diagnosis. Other responses included gender-specific differences in personal experiences, as girls were more likely to report inattention, distractibility, organizational planning, and time-management issues.

And while some children’s brains may develop out of hyperactive-type behaviors, these behaviors more commonly experienced in girls only worsen with puberty, furthering the need to address these problems that can severely affect daily functioning later in life.

While overcoming these misperceptions will require more research and effort to increase general awareness of the disorder, the healthcare community has made progress in the diagnostic criteria for ADD / ADHD, which has and will continue to help identify problematic individuals so that they can receive proper treatment.

In addition, as more people are becoming educated on the disorder and recognizing that there are alternatives to harsh prescription medications, a greater awareness of natural remedies and lifestyle adaptations is emerging.

Especially in the case of girls, medications will only help alleviate problems with inattention and distractibility, as organization and time management are learned processes, not treatable by drugs. However, natural remedies can aid in concentration, mental focus, memory retention and attention, as well as promote overall brain and systemic health which can therefore help support overall systemic functioning.

* BrightSpark - Aids in concentration, mental focus, and helps control tic disorders and anger outbursts.
* Focus Formula - Promotes concentration, memory and ability to focus attention without distraction.
* StudyPlus - Promotes brain health, healthy concentration, mental alertness and memory function.
* PureCalm - Aids nervous system in stress resistance for balanced moods and feelings of well being.

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