In the past, ADHD was perceived as naughty and wild behavior in boys, but it is now known that the behavior characteristic of such disorders has a biological basis and is not the result of just childhood whims. Moreover, contrary to what was previously thought, according to a study published in 2014, girls have the same chances of developing ADHD as boys, but its symptoms are expressed differently.
As a result, it is difficult to diagnose women with ADHD, and many girls who live with these disorders feel confused and insecure about what to do with themselves. In order for you to know if there is any reason to suspect ADHD in your daughters, it is important that you recognize the 9 symptoms that are expressed differently in them then in boys.
One of the revealing signs of attention deficit disorder is the inability to focus on tasks, speech, and other daily activities. This sign is common for both boys and girls, but girls find it harder to focus on what is in front of them and concentrate on what they need to do. This increased distraction makes them daydream, become introverted, and have difficulty maintaining concentration during school.
"ADHD children tend to behave impulsively, meaning they act without thinking about the results," says Dr. Mark Griffin, an ADHD specialist. "In contrast, girls with ADHD often do not exhibit such behavior and do not behave in an uncalculated way, which often makes it difficult to know that they are indeed dealing with this problem.
Boys, especially in elementary and middle school, who cope with ADHD tend to stand out in class in terms of their presence and character. On the other hand, girls with disorders of this kind behave in the opposite way and are shy, closed and do not express themselves in any way. This behavior, which is not usually associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is characteristic of ADHD- girls and their lack of participation in the classroom is a sign of such a disorder.
One of the symptoms of ADHD is hyperactive behavior, i.e., difficulty sitting in one place for a while and wanting to move at all times. This is true for ADHD among boys, but girls are less likely to have this type of behavior. Therefore, other suspicious signs should alert your attention to the existence of ADHD in girls, as hyperactivity is not one of the telltale signs.
Every parent wants his child to have self-confidence that will enable them to succeed in life and to conquer various life struggles, but some children find it difficult to do so. This is especially true with girls who cope with attention deficit disorders that make it difficult for them to concentrate and causes them to experience difficulties in school and in their personal life. As a result, girls with ADHD tend to blame themselves for the difficulties they experience, which causes them to lose their self-confidence and to be ashamed of themselves.
Children with ADHD struggle to make friends, but girls have more social problems than boys. In today's society, although it is more modern and progressive than it used to be, girls are expected to absorb social clues and read situations as they are because of their supposed innate sensitivity, but girls who suffer from ADHD find this difficult. When they fail repeatedly to decode social cues and codes, these girls develop social problems and often become isolated or have very few friends.
Many children with ADHD struggle with regulating and controlling their emotions, and so, intense feelings and disorders of this kind go hand in hand. From this common point between boys and girls with ADHD, girls experience hypersensitivity as a result of ADHD, which causes them to have increased feelings in a myriad of areas. The difficulty of emotional regulation causes them to be overwhelmed by feelings that can erupt in unexpected moments and interfere in different situations.
According to Dr. Griffin, girls with ADHD tend to be chatty because they can’t recognize the social cues that tell them to stop talking and give others a chance to weigh in. In addition to talking incessantly, girls with attention deficit disorder also tend to interject while others speak, and are therefore perceived as deviant or even insolent when the existence of their disorder is unknown.
