ADHD in Girls Looks Different
Imagine an 8-year-old girl in the back of the classroom, sitting quietly, gently swinging her legs under the desk, and staring out the window during class. Meanwhile, the class is working on a timed science quiz, and she hasn’t started yet. She is daydreaming, lost in her own world, but eventually gets to work. The teacher calls “stop”, and she realizes she’s only finished half the items.
Or an 11-year-old girl who is struggling to connect with her peers. When she was younger, it was so much easier to make friends. Now she worries about what others think about her and why they don’t seem to talk to her. When she tries to talk to them, she feels awkward. Sometimes she interrupts them, or she talks to much, or she gets too silly. Girls her age seem to like things that are more mature, whereas she still likes to play outside with the boys, make slime, and watch animated TV series.
Or what about a 17-year-old girl who gets straight A’s and runs cross country. She has a lot of friends and she’s active in her community. She volunteers at the church and helps with youth summer camps. She also tutors elementary kids who are learning Spanish. She spends hours on homework each night. It’s hard for her to relax because she gets restless, so she tends to over-schedule herself. Sometimes she runs late but she always gets there. Her room is a mess, but she’s too busy to clean it up. And she tends to lose her phone and keys. Being busy is comfortable. However, she can often be moody and tearful, especially with her parents and best friend.
Each of the girls described above could have ADHD. The 8-year-old girl shows problems with focus (i.e., daydreaming,) that negatively impacts her schoolwork. The 11-year-old girl is showing social challenges, low self-esteem, and anxiety that are common with ADHD. The 17-year-old teen girl is showing mild symptoms of hyperactivity and some executive dysfunction, including over-scheduling, being late, forgetfulness, and disorganization, as well as possible depression, all of which can also occur with ADHD in girls.
Although the core symptoms of ADHD are the same regardless of gender, they tend to manifest differently. This means that girls can go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, which means they may not get the right support. If you notice some of these symptoms in your daughter, and they negatively impact her, it may be time to complete an evaluation for ADHD. Reach out to us for a free phone consultation to learn more: [email protected].
