Feminine Side Of ADHD: Attention Disorder Has Lasting Impact On Girls

Science News ^ | 7-11-2006 | Bruce Bower

[booann777]

"My daughter watches less than 10 hours of TV a month and reads constantly. She has too much energy to sit and watch. But reading takes her mind to other places and soothes her."

I would venture that your daughter is not highly ADHD OR she is medicated for this. I say this because she can read constantly.

My personal experiences for the naysayers to consider (and not directed at you. Just a platform to rant.)

I have been dealing with it my whole life and was only diagnosed at the age of thirty. Before that, I coped with no diagnosis. I have a college degree, and finished two years earlier than most. Highly motivated, intelligent and yet I had ADD symptoms. In my case, the disorder, disease or whatever one wants, is degenerative.

To add insult to injury, I recently had a brain injury, my symptoms, my left brain shut down as well. This is directly related to the injury, much like a stroke. It cost me my career. I was a computer programmer which requires all left brain functions. Medication can lessen some of the cognitive problems.

I suspect these disorders are contingent to the left brain The left brain controls cognitive functions that affect school/job performance.

Right brain is emotion. Still have plenty of that!!

My point is that brain related diseases, disorder or whatever, are directly related to physical brain function. Medicine works (on most) to alleviate these disabling cognitive problems.

This is not rocket science and is based in physical differences in brain chemistry. Medication changes brain chemistry to alleviate the symptoms. Case closed.

ps. I only read short replies in FR. I have difficulty following the longer ones. (I won't be reading this one, it's too long.) and... it has taken about an hour to write this post.

ps2.. I am far from stupid, was over 90% in all subjects in the Iowa tests in high school. (a very long time ago...!)

[SoftballMominVA]

I have been told that her form of ADHD is severe, and yes she is medicated, when she chooses to take her meds.

When she turned 18, we began treating her as an adult in regards to her meds. She takes her meds when she knows she will be working (and biking) to work for safety, but she doesn't chose to take them on days when she doesn't work and has plans to draw or paint.

I can tell when she hasn't taken her meds, but just like I wouldn't walk up to another adult and question him/her, I don't question her.

Reading engages her mind and for some reason, reading has always been her safety net. I know she reads fast--upwards to 200 wpm.

I notice that you used a lot of breaks, does the excessive white space help you cognitively? It may be a symptom (or result) of your brain injury.

Good luck in the future-- I wish you well.

[booann777]

what was the question?

yes, paragraph breaks help me, but I still have runon sentences. I do a lot of editing.

I also speed read (class in jr. high). It helps with reading, but my retention is not good, not just in reading.

I have a myriad of difficulties that medications help with. I am bipolar, which includes add, depression, mania, anxiety, cognitive abilities... I didn't state this in my previous post because I didn't want to complicate my response.

I have had all combinations as mentioned above. The "brain injury" that directly affected my left brain is actually a function of the reduction of lithium I have been forced to eliminate lithium due to kidney malfunction. That's when my left brain failed and my job as computer programmer became impossible. The symptoms are much like a stroke where a certain part of your brain takes a hit. It has been two years in the doing, and still haven't gotten totally off of it. Again, I didn't state this in my previous post because I didn't want to complicate my response.

For example, due to med changes to get off of lithium I have gone from good reading comprehension to dyslexia, depressed to mildly manic.. back and forth in many combinations, etc. My biggest complaint is lacking the cognitive functions. When I wrote my check a couple of days ago at docs office, I had to ask how to spell "twenty" and yet, my visit displayed a good ability to communicate better than usual.

Medication works? It sure does, but some side effects can be difficult, as with any med. such as heart med, etc.

Some will say the drugs are hindering my cognitives, but to the contrary, they help these conditions. It is the Lack of meds that reduce my abilities.

The medicines I take must be taken as prescribed. Start-stopping meds can be very dangerous (as witnessed by long threads on this subject dealing with teens and suicide).

Sorry for the misrepresentation, but my issues are too complicated to make a good point. It is not because I am embarrassed, it would confuse the issue. Really, my apologies. It is not my modus operandi.

Thanks for answering, I don't often get a chance to rant, and maniacs like to rant (joking but series)!

best to you and

[luckystarmom]

What medication works on cognition?

My daughter has a brain injury that she got when she was an infant.

None of her doctors have ever mentioned that she should be on meds.

She has speech problems, auditory memory problems, motor control problems, sensory problems, and impulse control problems.

If medication could help any of those things, I'd be willing to try it.

Thanks!

[SoftballMominVA]

If I read his post correctly one of the medications would be lithium and whoa, that's hard core stuff.

[luckystarmom]

My mom is a manic-depressive and is on lithium. I don't think it would help my daughter.

[SoftballMominVA]

so you are in a good spot to know what the side effects can be

hope your daughter is doing well btw :)

[luckystarmom]

I'm glad your daughter is doing well.

I hope mine makes it to college. She's great at math, and I think she would make an excellent accountant. We're just going to have to do a lot of work to get there.

[booann777]

Yes, I take lithium, and the mandatory reduction of lithium has caused a total interuption of my life, esp cognitive. I thought it was primarily mood stabilizing and after almost twenty years on it, a was totally caught off guard about it's usefulness to cognitive function.

Lithium is a salt and the second element in the periodic table. It is not a heavy hitter as most believe. It is a salt and as such, effects the electrolyte system. Simple.

I also currently take lamictal and serouquel, both indicated for bipolar and help restore some of these difficulties.

My ailment is a chemical imbalance (not a catch phrase).

"She has speech problems, auditory memory problems, motor control problems, sensory problems, and impulse control problems"

Me too, it is all left brain related (cognitive) not right brain stuff (emotion). In trying to make the adjustments to ceasing the lithium, I have all theses problems and she probably has problems with sequencing things, organization, all things communicative, all kinds of memory problems, loss of direction...

http://www.funderstanding.com/right_left_brain.cfm
Right Brain vs. Left Brain

Definition
This theory of the structure and functions of the mind suggests that the two different sides of the brain control two different "modes" of thinking. It also suggests that each of us prefers one mode over the other.
Discussion
Experimentation has shown that the two different sides, or hemispheres, of the brain are responsible for different manners of thinking. The following table illustrates the differences between left-brain and right-brain thinking:


Left Brain
Logical
Sequential
Rational
Analytical
Objective
Looks at parts

Right Brain
Random
Intuitive
Holistic
Synthesizing
Subjective
Looks at wholes

This tells the story for me. again. simple.

Your daughter has a permanent brain injury (?). If so, her situation is much different than mine. My situation has room for manipulation.

If she is left brain impaired, it would be to her advantage to focus on things right brained and she will do well, I'm sure you are way ahead of me on this.

Like soccer mom's daughter, I have recently begun painting, and I love it. Very right brained.

Thanks to you both for the interest. Brain disorders of any kind are totally misunderstood. Can't see it, doesn't exist. Kinda like one year olds!!

ps, I have been assessed to have severe brain desease (not disorder) but I have bipolar disorder. go figure.

Best to both of you and yours...

Maryann

[luckystarmom]

Very interesting. In your description, I would say my daughter is very left brain.

She is very good at math and very organized. When she writes, it is very organized (beginning, middle, end). She's not very flowery in her descriptions. Very straight forward, matter of fact.

She is not artistic. She doesn't get emotions well. She's either very on or very off. There is no in between.

I already have her pegged to be an accountant. She can handle tedious work. It's math oriented, and she doesn't have to talk a lot.

[Scotsman will be Free]

I'm no expert on this matter. I believe that some folks have problems learning different things or lots of things. I'm also quite sure that too many boys acting like boys are labeled with ADHD and drugged. In the past, some kids took the academic track, and others learned a trade as an apprentice. Now, all are forced into the same crucible of schooling for 12 years.

[Scotsman will be Free]

Interesting. At what age group are these descriptions meaningful. The inattention list sounds like every kid I've ever been around until they hit about 25.

[booann777]

Very very interesting.

"She is very good at math and very organized. When she writes, it is very organized (beginning, middle, end). She's not very flowery in her descriptions. Very straight forward, matter of fact.

She is me on lithium... get outta here... I was a computer programmer for years on lithium, very left brained. Without lithium my left brain flunked!

Medications work for properly diagnosed and compliant patients. It is worth the trip for many affected.

as you may know, ADD has almost the exact same symptoms as bipolar.

Those who are open minded may read our posts and have a little understanding of these maladies. Some on this forum are too busy being better than thou about what a proper parent "should" do without any real education about these matters. They are way too left brained to understand what they cannot see.... funny...

Thank God Bush isn't ADD, altho I've heard Clinton was...

best to ya.