Difference Betn Boys & Girls

Two children, a boy and a girl. Although their behaviors look very different, they have both been diagnosed with having attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a behavioral disorder characterized by three major symptoms:

Inattention: the child has difficulty sustaining attention, listening, and attending to details. He or she is easily distracted, often loses things, and presents as forgetful and disorganized.

Impulsivity: the child may have poor frustration tolerance and may have trouble waiting, taking turns, or sharing.

Hyperactivity: the child seems to be constantly in motion, squirming, fidgeting, running, and climbing more than other children. He or she talks excessively and at inappropriate times. Clinicians may diagnose a child with ADHD, combined type, or with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, predominantly either inattentive type or hyperactive-impulsive type.

More than one million children in the United States have been diagnosed with this disorder, which until recently was believed to be anywhere from four times to nine times more prevalent in boys than in girls. However, researchers have reported that, partially because girls tend to be inattentive rather than hyperactive and therefore less disruptive in school and at home, many girls go undiagnosed or are mistakenly believed to suffer from anxiety or depression as a primary diagnosis. One oft-quoted study suggests that as many as 75 percent of girls with ADHD may be missed.  1:Teachers and parents often make comparisons between the boys and girls in their lives. When faced with a high boy-to-girl ratio, teachers often believe that their classes will be loud, active, and competitive but when faced with more girls than boys, teachers describe their classrooms as active but quiet. Parents also have observed differences between their sons and daughters. 2:Moms and dads often say that they tried to provide the same experiences for their boys and girls but that the responses are different based on gender. When given a doll, many boys choose to use it as a hammer or weapon, whereas girls tend to feed and nurture the doll. These differences have led parents and teachers to believe that there may be biological differences between boys and girls even when the environmental conditions are similar. 3:In the book, Boys and Girls learn Differently: A Guide for Teachers and Parents, the author offers an explanation to teachers' and parents' observations of differences between boys and girls. The explanation has its roots in brain-based research. Part I of the book provides an overview on the differences in male and female brain development. The author explores developmental and structural differences, chemical, hormonal and functional differences as well as differences in emotional processing. 4:The author, Michael Gurian, also discusses the evolution of these differences in terms of male and female brain development. Some of the differences he describes are already familiar to us. For instance, girls are more able to engage in multi-task behavior, use both sides of the brain when processing information, hear better and are more physically active. He also includes information we are less familiar with, such as boys may take more time in processing emotive information, thus making it more difficult for boys to quickly adjust after engaging in stressful or emotionally charged situations. This lag time can interfere with the learning process for boys. 5:Boys and Girls Learn Differently: A Guide for Teachers and Parents is a book worth reading because it raises as many questions as it answers. There is a wealth of information. Some of the conclusions are documented by specific research findings and some are based on ideas not yet proven. The reading will be interesting, stimulating and thought-provoking. Anyone who has noticed that boys and girls are different will enjoy reading this book. Parents and teachers will appreciate this book because it provides many "how to" and "what to do" suggestions.