Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) manifests differently from individual to individual, but our understanding of ADHD across genders is evolving. Signs and symptoms of ADHD are usually easy to recognize for most parents and physicians, but ADHD symptoms in girls and women may be harder to spot than the common symptoms exhibited in boys and men.
ADHD in Girls Is Focused on the Self
Medical experts have noticed that boys struggling with ADHD often exhibit behavioral problems over which they have little control, which affects others who do not have the disease. Males tend to be more extroverted than girls when dealing with attention difficulties and propensity toward hyperactivity.
ADHD in girls and women tends to manifest through a wandering mind. Girls of school age have an especially hard time taking on daily tasks related to their education. The inability to focus leads to daydreaming, which can prevent them from starting or finishing homework assignments and study sessions.
Those girls who recognize that they are struggling are also more inclined to struggle internally without seeking help. Smart or hard-working female students see tasks through from start to finish even if they must contend with frequent breaks in concentration.
Girls are not affected less by the disease, but they are predisposed to approach problems with focus quietly and on their own. Such an avenue leaves them vulnerable to the symptoms of ADHD and keeps parents, teachers, and friends unaware of concentration problems.
Unique Consequences of ADHD in Girls and Women
When ADHD is difficult or impossible to perceive by family and friends, girls and women cannot receive the help they need to mitigate the symptoms of the disease. Because hormonal changes can exacerbate ADHD symptoms, girls in the midst of growth have the proclivity to blame their lack of focus on a flood of burdensome life changes. ADHD symptoms in girls can therefore be ignored or internalized.
Some girls and women may even be unaware that a disorder is present at all. Academic and social achievement can mask the presence of ADHD in girls. Social pressure from friends may also lead to denial; a group of friends who contests that a girl does not have ADHD because she does not express symptoms outwardly could affect the judgment of such a girl.
Societal disbelief also reduces the credibility of people who might otherwise acknowledge the presence of ADHD in girls. An uninformed public often denies the validity of the concept of ADHD in women because current research focuses primarily on middle to upper-class white male children.
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| ADHD is less commonly diagnosed in girls, but is far from unheard-of. Source: cdc.gov |
How Do I Know If I or Someone I Know Has ADHD?
There is not a comprehensive test available for ADHD, but experienced health professionals are well-versed in the recognition of subtle signs of the disorder. If you want to find out if you or a female friend or family member has ADHD, research physicians with experience in diagnosing ADHD and schedule an examination. Doctors must be able to recognize how girls deal with boring or demanding tasks and whether their method of engagement is typical of patients with ADHD. Rely on a physician who has seen many such cases and has successfully treated them, as well.
