Page 5 - Jupiter West - April '25

Jupiter West, Page 5
Less Invasive Option ADHD Looks

For Valve Disease Treatment Offers Different In Girls

Benefit With Fewer Risks By Jim Forgan, Ph.D.,

Licensed School
Aortic valve stenosis is one of the most common and the risks and discomfort Psychologist
serious conditions affecting the heart’s valves. It involves the associated with traditional Savannah explained,
narrowing of the aortic valve opening, which is crucial for open-heart surgery. “My 13-year -old
allowing oxygen-rich blood to leave the heart and circulate Numerous studies have daughter’s a wreck at
throughout the body. When this valve opening is narrowed, demonstrated that TAVR is a home. She is disorganized,
the flow of blood is blocked or reduced, leading to significant safe and effective alternative to argumentative and has
health issues. traditional valve replacement. trouble accomplishing
This condition predominantly affects individuals age 65 It offers patients minimal day- to-day tasks on
or older, with nearly 500,000 people in the United States risk and discomfort, a shorter her own and following
suffering from severe aortic stenosis each year. Symptoms hospital stay (usually only a routine. However, at
can include shortness of breath, chest pain, congestive heart one or two days compared school and sports she is very driven and motivated, is
failure and, if left untreated, it can ultimately lead to death. to five to seven days with the very personable, and has strong verbal skills. Help me
A Revolutionary Approach To Treatment open procedure) and a quicker Richard Zelman, M.D. understand her!” My school neuropsychological testing
Replacing the diseased valve is the standard treatment recovery. revealed Savannah’s daughter had ADHD.
for most patients with aortic stenosis. Traditionally, this The heart experts at Cleveland Clinic in Florida have ADHD looks different in girls as compared to boys.
replacement required open-heart surgery, where the patient’s exceptional expertise and experience in performing this Three key differences are that ADHD in girls is often
chest was opened to access the heart. However, recent treatment. Richard Zelman, M.D., an interventional underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed because they are
advancements have introduced the transcatheter aortic valve cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital, more likely to have inattention symptoms rather than
replacement (TAVR) procedure, which has revolutionized the emphasizes that aortic stenosis is a serious condition with a hyperactivity. In elementary years boys are diagnosed
treatment of aortic stenosis. potentially severe progression. He notes that like open-heart at a 4 boys to 1 girl ratio but by adulthood, that evens
TAVR is a minimally invasive procedure that allows surgery, TAVR can cure the condition. out to a 1:1 ratio as more girls self-refer for testing.
surgeons to replace the valve through a catheter inserted To schedule an appointment with Dr. Zelman or another Second, girls show more internalized symptoms like
into the femoral artery which runs up the thigh, through the Cleveland Clinic heart specialist in Florida, call (877) 463- anxiety, depression, or low self-esteem, which can be
abdomen, and to the heart. This approach significantly reduces 2010. Visit ClevelandClinicFlorida.org/Heart to learn more. mistaken for other conditions. Third, girls are really
good at masking or hiding their symptoms which makes
ADHD harder to recognize.
Peripheral Savannah’s daughter had significant emotional
dysregulation which came out in her mood swings. She
experienced frequent emotional ups and downs and
Neuropathy? struggled with frustration which made her irritable and
sensitive. This led to arguments if things were not going
her way. My testing also revealed she had difficulty
FREE Consultation with friendships. Her emotional dysregulation struggles
affected her ability to maintain stable friendships. She
for Acupuncture had teammates but not one really close friend.
Early recognition and appropriate support can help
girls learn to manage these challenges effectively.
Consider getting yourself or your child tested if you
are concerned about ADHD or struggle with difficulty
focusing, forgetfulness, zoning out, trouble with organizing,
impulsive decision making, or emotional dysregulation.
561-745-1002 We test individuals ages 6 through 25 for ADHD.
A great self-help resource is Raising Girls with ADHD
by Mary Anne Richey. We also test students from age 2
654 West Indiantown through college for dyslexia, anxiety, depression autism,
THE PATIENT AND ANY OTHER PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO and more. Call us at (561) 625-4125 to discuss your child
REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT OR BE REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER Road, Jupiter, FL 33458
SERVICE, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT WHICH IS PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF AND or learn more at www.JimForgan.com.
WITHIN 72 HOURS OF RESPONDING TO THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE FREE, DISCOUNTED www.drlaruffa.com
OR REDUCED FEE SERVICES, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT.

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