Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children. ADHD also affects many adults. Common symptoms of ADHD include hyperactivity, limited sustained attention, impulsivity, and limited attention to details. Millions of children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD. Boys with ADHD outnumber girls approximately three to one, per Dr. Stephen Hinshaw, a leading ADHD expert.  He suggests some girls have been underdiagnosed, particularly those with inattentive ADHD, which seems more prevalent in girls.  According to Dr. Hinshaw, “The inattentive type of ADHD is marked less by disruptive, impulsive behavior and more by disorganized, unfocused performance.”  “The latter isn’t as likely to be recognized or cause as much concern to teachers.”

According to an interactive poll on girls and ADHD by Dr. Patricia Quinn and Dr. Sharon Wigal, ADHD often expresses itself in girls through poor self-esteem, excessive talking, perfectionism, worrying, nosiness, and risk-taking.  These are not the typical symptoms of lack of focus and hyperactivity that is often seen in boys. Dr. Quinn and Dr. Wigal’s poll also found that 4 out of 10 teachers reported more difficulty in recognizing ADHD symptoms in girls than in boys because generally, boys are more likely to exhibit behavioral problems.  As a result,  girls are more likely than boys to be asked to repeat a grade due to poor school performance rather than participating in an evaluation to determine if the student has ADHD or a learning disability.  Per Dr. Quinn, “A year later, the girl is no better off because she still hasn’t figured out the source of her problems.”

ADHD symptoms in girls can be challenging to decipher which is why the condition is often overlooked and underreported by teachers.  Many psychiatrists estimate that nearly half of all children with ADHD are female.  It is estimated that 50% fewer girls are referred for ADHD evaluations and treatment as compared to boys.  Girls with ADHD tend to have less visible symptoms.  Most girls with ADHD don’t tend to squirm, fidget, or get up to sharpen their pencil every two minutes. Instead, most girls with ADHD just sit at their desks and zone out. Those girls have the same ADHD problems of poor impulse control, inattention, and distractibility but few adults rarely suspect these girls have ADHD because they aren’t hyperactive. Furthermore, ADHD often expresses itself in girls through poor self-esteem, excessive talking, risk-taking, worrying, and perfectionism which are not the typical symptoms of hyperactivity and lack of focus for boys.

Much of the research also demonstrates that symptoms of ADHD in females often don’t emerge until puberty, a time when most kids experience emotional ups and downs. Due to cultural expectations and social pressures, girls seem to be more compelled than boys to get their schoolwork done. The research also reveals that generally speaking, girls want to please more than boys do, and they’re usually expected to do well in school. As a result, ADHD symptoms may not become very apparent until middle or high school, when a student’s work requirements increase dramatically.

In conclusion, ADHD is prevalent for boys and girls but the symptoms tend to look differently with girls.  By completing an ADHD evaluation, it can provide more clarity as to how to better assist a student.  ADHD is treatable and managed with proper interventions such as counseling, organizational strategies, behavior management, and medication. 

If you are needing help, please consider setting up a free phone consultation and we can discuss how an evaluation can be helpful.