John J. Ratey, MD, co-author Driven to Distraction
By examining the interplay between genetics and environment, Sari Solden has broken new ground in Women With Attention Deficit Disorder.


Book Description
Women with Attention Deficit Disorder addresses the millions of withdrawn little girls and chronically overwhelmed women with ADD who go undiagnosed because they don't fit the stereotypical notion of people with ADD. They are not fast-talking, hyperactive, non-attentive, and they are not male. Though the book focuses on ADD, much of what is said also applies to women with ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Introduction by Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo, authors of You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Crazy or Stupid? Foreword by John J. Ratey, MD, co-author of Driven to Distraction.


From the Publisher
This pioneering book explains that ADD is an equal-opportunity disorder that affects just as many women as men.


From the Author
Many women experience great shame when they are unable to conform to our society's degrading "job description for women." With exercises, self-talk and stories I help women dismantle their self-images as "slobs" or "space cadets" and enjoy a new cycle of success on their own.


About the Author
Sari Solden MS, MFCC, is a psychotherapist in private practice who specializes in individual, couple, and group work with ADD adults and their partners. She serves as a consultant and trains mental health profession in the diagnosis and treatment of ADD.


Excerpted from Women With Attention Deficit Disorder by Sari Solden. Copyright(c) 1995. Reprinted by permission, all rights reserved
Why ADD Goes Undiagnosed Longer in Little Girls
Even though ADHD girls are more active and therefore more noticeable than ADD w/o girls, they too are identified and treated later than hyperactive boys, because they don't act out as much and cause as many problems. Another cultural stereotype that impacts ADHD girls occurs when they don't meet the "nice little girl" expectation. They are written off as "tomboys" instead of as having a learning problem. Or, because they are often very social, talkative, and emotionally reactive, they become labelled as "boy crazy," "non academic oriented," or "party girls." Dr. Kathleen Nadeau says that the hyperactivity of girls with ADHD is often manifested differently than in boys. Girls are often "hyper talkative, hyper social and hyper emotionally reactive." She also says that the impulsive behavior of girls with ADHD is not tolerated in the same way as boys are. They are negatively viewed as "unladylike." Rather than having an attentional disorder, many times their behaviors are attributed to emotional or family problems. For instance, in Lucy's case, if she is still undiagnosed by the time of her parent's divorce, it will be especially difficult for her to get an accurate diagnosis. In addition to her ADD, she will be reacting to this upheaval in her life. Because ADD without H girls aren't behavior problems, they often aren't identified at a young age, unless they also happen to have obvious learning disabilities. Another reason they don't get diagnosed, according to Dr. Daniel Amen, is that the cultural stereotypes that we have of little girls contribute to an under identification. As in Jodi's case, the school system tolerates underachievement in girls that it wouldn't in boys. Also, I feel that ADD without girls usually fall into the "nice little girl" stereotype. Because they are quiet and nice, and often trying to please, they are actually meeting cultural expectations, and people either don't notice or are not as concerned with their subtle information processing problems. Another way ADD is often detected is during an evaluation for learning disabilities. Because girls with ADD have fewer learning problems in the early grades in math and reading than boys do, according to Drs. Hallowell and Ratey, in Answers to Distraction, these girls are less apt to be diagnosed through this avenue. The reason early identification of girls is so important is that years of being mis labelled, mis understood or just plain missed, leads to serious long term consequences to their self esteem, relationships, achievement and emotions.

ANNOTATION

Solden, a therapist with ADD, combines the real-life histories and treatment experiences of women with ADD with the latest clinical research and literature to create a new screening checklist specifically for women. She highlights the special challenges women with ADD face, describes what to look for in treatment and counseling, and outlines three steps for living with ADD. Photos. Line drawings, charts.

FROM THE PUBLISHER