ADHD in Boys vs Girls
October is ADHD Awareness month! So, I’d like to take a moment to discuss what ADHD can look like between boys and girls. Boys are much more likely to get diagnosed with ADHD in childhood as opposed to women being diagnosed in adulthood, but why? Check out these hallmarks of ADHD:
Girls
being withdrawn
low self-esteem
anxiety
intellectual impairment
difficulty with academic achievement
inattentiveness or a tendency to “daydream”
trouble focusing
appearing not to listen
verbal aggression, such as teasing, taunting, or name-calling
Boys
impulsivity or “acting out”
hyperactivity, such as running and hitting
lack of focus, including inattentiveness
inability to sit still
physical aggression
talking excessively
frequently interrupting other peoples’ conversations and activities
Boys typically become a distraction to those around them. Classmates are impacted by the external troubles.
Girls on the other hand typically have internal struggles, which are not much of a distraction for classmates.
Symptoms for girls often become unmanageable after they have started college or begun parenting. This is why so many woman aren't diagnosed until their 20s and 30s.
Early treatment in both boys and girls has been shown to lower negative outcomes like divorce, substance abuse, trauma, and more.
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