ADHD in Girls vs. Boys

When thinking of ADHD people often picture an overactive disruptive little boy. Many people have asked "Do only boys get ADHD?". The answer is No, ADHD occurs in girls as much as boys. However, boys are three times more likely to be "diagnosed" with ADHD than girls because ADHD in girls may manifest in different ways. This means that girls with ADHD are vastly under diagnosed!

The average age of an ADHD diagnosis in boys is 7 whereas in girls it's 12. You see, girls who have ADHD are twice as likely to be inattentive then hyperactive-impulsive than boys with ADHD and are less likely to have noticeable problems like behaviors which is why their can be easily missed. Though girls with ADHD can have Combined Type (inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive), the symptoms are often less intense. For example, boys with hyperactivity-impulsiveness may fidget, get out of their seat a lot, act impulsively, and have troubles being quite, whereas girls with hyperactivity-impulsiveness may talk a lot, blurt out answers and be emotional, which can be disruptive, but not enough to cause concern.

Girl's with ADHD can have more social problems than ADHD boys. This can be because girls with ADHD Combined Type can be bossy, interrupt a lot, and not pick up on social cues like others and girls with ADHD Inattentive Type can be socially isolated. ADHD girls are also more likely to have anxiety and depression issues than boys with ADHD.

It has been truly fascinating for me to research and learn how different the same diagnosis of ADHD can manifest so different in girls and boys!  I am glad I could gather all this and put this information it into one post for my readers!!

In conclusion, as girls with ADHD are under-diagnosed, some signs that a girl may have ADHD are nonstop talking, friendship issues, disorganization, messiness, and she can be extra emotional or unable to handle emotions.

~S Overly

Resources: http://www.webmd.com