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ADHD in Females Essay

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ADHD in Females

Grace is a second grader. She sits quietly with her hand folded in front of her and watches tv. She sees Dumbo and thinks of the stuffed elephant on her bed. She remembers her brother winning it for her at a carnival, where she got to ride a pony and eat cotton candy. A few minutes pass, and Grace has no idea what is happening around her or on the cartoon. She is not worried, because there really isn't a time that her mind is not wandering.

Grace is a well mannered little girl, but suffers from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Like most girls with ADHD, she is not physically hyperactive like the common misconception of people with ADHD. She represents a quarter of the undiagnosed cases of ADHD in …show more content…

According to ADDvances (2) there are basically three forms of the disorder. Girls, like Grace, are in the catagory of "daydreamers" with ADD. They sit quietly in class, and parents and teachers somtimes just pass off Grace as being well behaved, introverted, and perhaps a less than average student. A second type of ADD is commonly called "tomboys" with ADD/ADHD. These girls are hyperactive and tend to engage in more physical activities such as sports, exploring, and are always on the run. Unlike most males with ADHD, girls are usually more cooperative at home but are never satisfied with themselves, and they tend to work hard to please others. The third catagory of ADD is referred to as the "Chatty Kathy" syndrome, which is simply a combination of hyperactivity and attention deficit, but not necessarily considered "tomboy." These girls are excited, frequently jump from topic to topic, have such problems as discussing a movie plot, interrupt themselves and others, have a difficult time organizing their thoughts, are overreactive, and often develop a "silly" personality (2). The exact cause of the disorder is unknown. Researcher have noticed defects at the dopamine neurotransmitter sites in ADHD patients. In non-ADHD people, the right cerebral hemisphere is slightly larger than the left, but in the ADHD patient the brain appears

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