ADHD presents itself differently in boys and girls. ADHD is thought to be under-recognized in girls and women mainly due to symptom masking. Jo mentions that in younger girls, the school reports are less reliable, perhaps owing to the school not noticing symptoms. The girl or the parents, at times, report concerns that the school may be overlooking certain behaviors. Girls typically go under the radar in cases where they do not present with hyperactivity but do with inattention.
An objective ADHD test can help see whether the girl meets the criteria for ADHD.
In a school setting, it can be quite challenging to pick up on signs. We could go and sit in a classroom and observe a girl and not necessarily be picking up any difficulties, but may be able to pick up those better in a Qb [QbTest] setting. Girls work really hard to mask symptoms to fit in socially, so observing them in that social setting might not be helpful.
Dr. Jo Steer