I'm a female with inattentive type ADD. I wrote a paper for a writing class a few years ago about how women are often undiagnosed because they tend to show their symptoms in ways other than bouncing around. I found quite a bit of research to support that. I have suspicions that some of my girl friends had ADD because they have problems with lots of the same things that I do.
It does manifest itself differently in everyone, and it's not the only thing that influences our behavior. Generally, girls are socialized to be quieter and less active than boys while boys are encouraged more often to be active and share their thoughts and opinions. I think personality has a lot to do with it too. Some people are introverts and some are extroverts, wether they had ADD or not.
I have been reading Delivered From Distraction by Edward Hallowell, M.D. and John J. Ratey, M.D. (I need to finsih the last few chapters, LoL, then I'm reading Driven To Distraction.)
It mentions that ADHD has been more prevelant in males than females. And while that still seems to be the case, more females are being diagnosed...and that it comes through in different ways in every one and in the 2 sexes.
If you have access to those books, you might want to check them out. There was more info in them about this than I am relating, of course.
-C
I'm certainly no expert on this - but then I'm not convinced there is such a thing as an ADHD 'expert' yet.
My thoughts are that there is no difference between ADD and ADHD, it's the same condition, it just manifests itself differently in different people. People with and without the 'H' have so much in common, that a difference in the level of fidgeting isn't really significant.
But then, what do I know?
Mark -
Boys are more often diagnosed because they are the ones who are usually disrupting class and doing poorly grade-wise. Girls tend to be more quiet and withdrawn, and do okay with their grades. Therefore they aren't noticed like the boys are.
is it me or do i find that there is a differnts in the 2 sex's with this here is kinda what i ran up from being in the uk and differnt people i've met with the disorder
Female - i alway find it hard to find a female with ADD(ADHD inactive) i never in my life ever met a girl with this problem, but i have around 6 friends with ADHD(ADHD hyperactive). i have also found that alot of girl who have ADHD have dislexyicer(sorry about spelling)
Male - i found alot of males with ADD but also a few who have ADHD but i have talk to alot of males on the internet with ADHD and not ADD which i think is just my random way lol also i found there is alot more displraxic males then females.
if anyone has infomation about this it would be really helpful because i going to my local MP soon to talk about a UK wide learning disabletis tutor program so that all teacher's/tutor that work with children/young adults with age range of 3-22 have to learn about all learning disabletis(please no one take that offencely) so that they know about these disorders and how to help people with them and also spot out the young children with the disorders so they can get help alot younger and do better in schools and collages and i'm hope this will go on to the USA as well
so basicly the more infomation i can get the more i can show and the more help i can get for people in need and i have a good reason for doing it as well because i have ADD and disleyicer and i think i also displraxic and i have to do 3 year's more eductions to get to the job i wanna be in
thxs Gryff
Girls are less often diagnosed because, I think, they manifest their symptoms (generally) in different ways. Not always, but often. Furthermore it's thought of as a boy's disease by many people, so teachers and parents don't really think about it when they see the same behavior in a girl. They say there are just as many females with ADHD as there are males, just undiagnosed.