[E| LF] Idjeatth Why ManyGirls With ADHD Are Often Overlooked (NAPSA)—While attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects about three to seven percent of all school-age children, many girls with ADHD may never be diagnosed because their symptoms are often missed by parents and teachers. While boys tend to exhibit the more commonly known and obvi- With continued tutoring and medication, her grades improved. “She came homefrom school one day and said, ‘Mom, I’m smart,” said her mother. A recent study presented at the American Psychiatric Association annual meeting showed thatgirls with ADHD demonstrated significant improvementin both behavior and attention with Adderall XR. “The study suggests that girls ous symptoms of ADHD, like hyperactivity, girls may display other, less outwardly visible symptoms such as inattention. Tf left untreated, the symptoms of ADHD can have a profound with ADHD can benefit from effect on a child’s life, both inside and outside of a classroom setting. For Janice Lowder, a quiet, well-behaved child, learning was always stressful. “My husband and I hired a oneon-one tutor to help Janice with her studies. We also tried to help her, and all dreaded the nightly battle of completing a homework assignment. Janice would get so frustrated with her homework andthe fact that she didn’t ‘getit,’ that she would cry,” said her mother Beth Lowder. “By the time Janice reached the seventh grade, a nurse at her school suggested we talk toa doctor. Janice was diagnosed with ADHD and was started on i Long-lasting medications for ADHD canhelp studentsfocus in school and on homework. treatment,” Beth explained. “T knew my daughter just needed the right help,” said Beth. By the tenth grade, Janice had improved from a C to a B student but homework wasstill challenging. In addition, she had lowselfesteem and was embarrassed to take her medication at school. Her psychiatrist prescribed Adderall XR, an extended-release formula- tion that enabled Janice to take her medication once a day at home. Adderall XR and that this treatment will help them control symptoms all day while they are in the classroom, during after-school activities or doing homework with relatively few side effects,” said Joseph Biederman, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Chief of Pediatric Psychopharmacology at Massachusetts General Hospital. “While ADHDingirls is becoming more recognizable it is still often overlooked, and there is a need for safe and effective treatments that will allow girls to interact more effectively with other children and adults, to concentrate in school and to focus on finishing tasks.” For more information on ADHD, visit www.adhdsupport. com, www.CHADD.org, or www. NMHAvorg. Adderall XR was generally well tolerated in clinical studies. The most common side effects in studies involving children included decreased appetite, difficulty falling asleep, stomachache, and emotional lability. The most common sideeffects in a study involving adults included dry mouth, loss of appetite, insomnia, headache and weight loss. Adderall XR may not be right for everyone. Patients should speak with their doctor if they have a history of high blood pressure or any heart conditions, glaucoma, thyroid problems, emotional instability, mental illness, or a known allergy to this type of medication. Ifyou are currently taking or have recently taken a type of antidepressant called a MAO inhibitor or have a pre-existing structural heart abnormality, you should not take Adderall XR. There is a potential for worsening of motion or verbal tics and Tourette’s syndrome. Abuse of amphetamines may lead to dependence. Misuse of amphetamine mayleadto serious cardiovascular adverse events. A patient should report any new psychological symptomsto his or her physician. For full prescribing information please visit www.adderallxr.com. For more information, consult your physician.
