Use this checklist to determine whether your daughter shows symptoms of attention deficit disorder (ADD ADHD).
by Maureen Connolly
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD ADHD) in girls can be hard to decipher, which is why it’s often overlooked and underreported by teachers. The following behaviors, occurring frequently and in various combinations, may indicate ADHD.
1. Daydreaming quietly in class.
2. Looking out the window while twirling her hair.
3. Picking at her cuticles often.
4. Feeling anxious and depressed (but not meeting the criteria of any diagnosable disorder).
5. Talking incessantly or hyperactively.
6. Appearing to be silly, a show-off, or boy-crazy.
7. Seeming to fade into the background; acting shy and inattentive.
8. Having trouble maintaining friendships.
9. Putting in extra effort to hyperfocus in order to compensate for inattentiveness (and feeling anxious and self-critical as a result).
Find the ADHD Self-report Questionnaire for Teenage Girls, a comprehensive checklist your daughter can review herself, at ADDvance.com.