ADHD in girls
ADHD in girls can be missed because it may not always look like the stereotypical image of a hyperactive child running around the classroom.
Girls with ADHD may:
- Daydream and seem quiet
- Mask difficulties and work very hard to appear organised
- Struggle with anxiety
- Be emotionally sensitive and people-please
- Overthink and talk a lot
- Struggle with friendships
- Have messy rooms or bags
- Forget homework
- Feel exhausted from trying to keep up
- Be diagnosed later than boys
Girls may be seen as "chatty", "dramatic", "sensitive", "lazy", "disorganised" or "anxious" before ADHD is considered.
Understanding this matters because missed ADHD can affect confidence, mental health and self-esteem — sometimes long into adulthood.