Most girls with ADHD have the inattentive type, which means that they have problems focusing but are not hyperactive and impulsive. But even those who are hyperactive and impulsive present with less obvious symptoms than boys, so it often goes unnoticed or unacknowledged.
The signs of ADHD in girls are more likely to look like inattention than hyperactivity. Girls with ADHD often don't fit the stereotype of excessive energy. Instead, they have a hard time paying attention, staying organized, and managing their time. People might mistake girls with ADHD for just being spacey or lazy.
However, in adulthood, the number of men and women with ADHD is much more similar (5.4% for males compared with 3.2% for females). Studies suggest that females may be nearly as likely to have ADHD as males, but because their symptoms may look different, they are being diagnosed later or not diagnosed at all.
A recent study of thousands of men and women found two of five adults with ADHD are in excellent physical health, but ADHD women were less likely to be thriving. This comports with research from earlier studies that show women have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality.
Research is showing that the symptoms of ADHD often intensify for girls during puberty when estrogen increases in their bodies.
Female children with ADHD often try to join a group, talk a lot but can hardly understand how her peers feel about what they are doing. They have difficulty connecting socially with others and when frustration gets in, they become impulsive and resort to verbal aggressiveness.
Similar to the hyperactive symptoms, impulsive symptoms are typically seen by the time a child is four years old and increase during the next three to four years to peak in severity when the child is seven to eight years of age.
The main signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness are: being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings. constantly fidgeting. being unable to concentrate on tasks.
Genetics. ADHD tends to run in families and, in most cases, it's thought the genes you inherit from your parents are a significant factor in developing the condition. Research shows that parents and siblings of someone with ADHD are more likely to have ADHD themselves.
“Chatty Kathy” with ADHD
A third type of girl with ADHD is a combination of hyperactive and inattentive. While they have a much higher activity level than the daydreamers, they are not necessarily “tomboys.” Often these girls are hyper-talkative rather than hyperactive. They are “silly”, excitable and overemotional.
Females with ADHD tend to have more internalizing disorders alongside their ADHD that are not as disruptive in the classroom, like anxiety. When combined with symptom masking, this could mean that females are not as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD as males.
Symptom differences between girls and boys
These hyperactive/impulsive symptoms get noticed more easily by parents and teachers while inattentive symptoms sometimes get ignored. Girls are also less likely to be diagnosed earlier because they often display more symptoms of anxiety.
Sometimes, the way a child's ADHD presents can change in their teenage years. The symptoms might become more noticeable and more challenging, so it's common for ADHD to be diagnosed while a young person is going through puberty.
There's strong evidence that ADHD is mostly inherited. Many kids who have ADHD have a parent or relative with it. Kids also can be more at risk for it if they were born early, are exposed to environmental toxins, or their mothers used drugs during pregnancy.
Methylphenidate is the most commonly used medicine for ADHD. It belongs to a group of medicines called stimulants, which work by increasing activity in the brain, particularly in areas that play a part in controlling attention and behaviour.
Age itself doesn't necessarily make ADHD worse. The way your symptoms show up depends on several factors. The good news is that most adults are able to manage their lives well with therapy and medications.
With ADHD, a child or teen may have rapid or impulsive speech, physical restlessness, trouble focusing, irritability, and, sometimes, defiant or oppositional behavior.
While most people associate ADHD with hyperactivity and impulsivity, it can also manifest in more subtle ways, such as through intrusive thoughts and overthinking. Intrusive thoughts are unwanted and repetitive thoughts that can be distressing or disturbing.
Most people with ADHD have a very low frustration tolerance. They can be overly emotional about the stressors they experience. They don't have a barrier that allows them to set aside uncomfortable emotions, and they often become completely flooded by a feeling, making it unbearable.
Girls who are hyperactive and impulsive are rare. Some hyperactive girls are seen as tomboys and have a better chance of being diagnosed. Other hyperactive girls aren't overactive in a physical sense; instead, they're super-talkative “social butterflies.”