Hidden Signs of ADHD in Girls: Overlooked Symptoms Revealed

which of these kids could have ADHD I bet most of you would say the boy after all boys are diagnosed with ADHD three to four times more often than girls even though we know the rate of ADHD is about equal and the fact that most people would quickly assume the boy has ADHD shows a few of the very real problems of being a girl with ADHD so yes this was actually a trick question both of these kids could have ADHD which is why we're going to talk about six overlooked signs of ADHD in girls and the last one may surprise you let's get started right away number one girls with ADHD are more likely to have symptoms of inattention than hyperactivity or impulsivity but why can this be overlooked well we typically think of ADHD as lots of energy constantly running jumping or climbing on things doing things without thinking first and getting into trouble at school these are outward behaviors that are part of the hyperactive impulsive or combined types of ADHD there are behaviors that easily stand out as different from peers and are easier to notice and boys are the ones more likely to be diagnosed with the hyperactive impulsive type so boys are the ones that often get noticed now this is a generalization and it doesn't mean girls can't have the other two types of ADHD but it is one of the main reasons ADHD and girls can often go unnoticed girls are more likely to have problems with distractibility but not always distractibility with things going on around them instead they can easily be distracted by what's going on internally like their thoughts and this can be hard to notice other signs of inattentive ADHD are things like trouble with organization like a messy bedroom or desk or a locker and trouble sticking to things that are longer or take more effort which is why homework may take longer than it should now on to number two when girls with ADHD exhibit symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity they may look different than boys girls May fidget doodle or move around in their seats rather than getting up when they're not supposed to and running around like boys girls may also be more hyperactive in their talking like interrupting talking over people or blurring out answers which can lead to trouble in social situations this is why some girls with ADHD can often be labeled as chatty okay number three girls with ADHD May struggle with relationships and maintaining friendships girls tend to mature faster than boys and the social relationships of girls tend to be more nuanced there are different social norms when it comes to maintaining friendships for girls girls with ADHD tend to be more social and make friends easily but they may have trouble keeping those friendships because of the challenges ADHD poses they may forget to return texts or miss important social cues which can make their friends feel like they don't care when in fact the forgetfulness is really more about trouble with executive functions the differences I've mentioned so far are mostly about things going on inside a girl's mind and body rather than outward disruptive behaviors and typically doctors think of these internal symptoms as part of internalizing disorders like anxiety and depression and there is actually some symptom overlap between all of these diagnoses this idea highlights number four of the overlooked signs of ADHD in girls but before I tell you about it if you're finding this video helpful so far be sure to tap the like button and subscribe to let me know it'll help it spread to more families who need it and make people more aware of what ADHD may look like especially in girls so everyone can get the support they deserve back to number four girls with ADHD may have symptoms that overlap with anxiety or depression such as shyness withdrawal and perfectionism mistaking these symptoms for anxiety or depression can delay or prevent accurate ADHD diagnosis for example girls with ADHD may have more trouble getting motivated to start something or finish something which might look like a loss of interest in things this is a common symptom of depression other symptoms like trouble with concentration and with sleep can also apply to anxiety or depression and not just ADHD and something that's even trickier here is that a child can have both ADHD and anxiety or depression it's important to get an accurate diagnosis so that the treatment can be tailored to the specific needs of the child and be as helpful as possible speaking of helpful treatment we also want to make sure there are specific strategies that are tailored for ADHD and girls when it comes to emotions and this is because of Overlook sign number five girls with ADHD may show more emotional reactivity and have more exaggerated emotions than boys and their peers they may have trouble regulating their emotions which can lead to more meltdowns or outbursts ADHD is a disorder about trouble with self-regulation and self-control and emotions are no exception especially for girls however this symptom is often attributed to something else such as anxiety or depression or just the unfortunate stereotype that girls are more emotional beings another thing that gets in the way of recognizing ADHD challenges is that sometimes girls are better at covering up their ADHD related struggles so the sixth overlooked sign of ADHD in girls is somewhat surprising it's that they tend to have more coping skills than boys that mask or compensate for their ADHD maybe it's because of maturity or social norms and pressures and it unfortunately leads to fewer diagnoses of ADHD in girls and ultimately getting them less support than they need and this is a key thing it's important to offer support to kids with ADHD as soon as possible early treatment can also help prevent other disorders from developing like anxiety or depression this is why I've got all the most important ideas about raising a child with ADHD laid out in a comprehensive video guide that talks about what I would really do if my daughter would diagnosed with ADHD in this video I go through how to make your home more ADHD friendly how how to focus on what your child can do well versus what they can't and how to deal with really big emotions it'll give you perspective on how to have that close relationship with your child even when things are hard and frustrating so I really recommend you go check that out next see you there

Channel: Doctor Jacque | Child Anxiety & ADHD

Views: 18,682

Keywords: signs of adhd in girls, adhd in girls, symptoms of adhd in girls, adhd in girls and women, adhd girls, girls with adhd, signs of adhd in women, diagnosing adhd in girls, symptoms of adhd in children, symptoms of adhd in kids, adhd symptoms in children, signs of adhd in childhood, adhd symptoms, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, symptoms of adhd, signs of adhd, adhd in children, children with adhd, child behavior clinic, dr jacque, doctor jacque, adhd girl

Id: m8wDz-o_AL4

Length: 6min 48sec (408 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 16 2023