ADHD: Often Missed in Girls
Research indicates that awareness about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity in girls and women is very low. Alarmingly, some studies estimate that as many as 50% to 75% of girls with the disorder are missed. As a result, many girls and women with ADHD suffer in silence, giving in to frustration and low self-esteem.
Do you think your daughter might have ADHD?
If you feel that your daughter seems to fit several of the behaviors described in the list below, it might be advisable to seek an evaluation from a health care professional who specializes in ADHD.
- Even when I try to listen, my thoughts wander
- I forget things like permission slips and papers
- Projects and papers are hard for me to finish
- I get upset easily
- Sometimes it feels like I am not good at anything
- I’m frequently late
- It’s hard for me to concentrate when other things are going on around me
- My parents and teachers tell me I don’t try hard enough
- I get teased about being spacey
- I feel different from other girls
- My room at home is a disaster
While children who do not have ADHD can occasionally demonstrate some of these behaviors, children with ADHD exhibit them chronically and across multiple settings, impairing the child’s ability to function academically or socially on a daily basis. More information about girls with ADHD, including separate age-appropriate checklists from preschool through high school can be found in Understanding Girls with AD/HD by Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., Ellen Littman, Ph.D. and Patricia Quinn, M.D.
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