Special Education

Teachers may never suspect that those quiet girls who appear to be sitting attentively in their classes may really have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The image of a student with the disorder has typically been a rambunctious boy who disrupts class and can't stay still. But a new study shows there may be more girls with ADHD than teachers and parents realize.

Statistics show boys are more likely to have the disorder by a ratio of 3-to-1. But girls may be underdiagnosed, according to the study, published in the October issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology .