ADHD in Women

100 Questions & Answers

Learn the basics about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) in women and girls in this handbook about ADD/ADHD symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

By Patricia O. Quinn, M.D. (Jones & Bartlett Learning)

Purchase 100 Questions & Answers About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Women and Girls

“For women, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) remains the only psychiatric disorder I’m aware of in which the sufferers of the disorder are working to educate the professionals who treat them,” writes Kathleen Nadeau, in her illuminating preface to this excellent book. She and Patricia Quinn, who cofounded the National Center for Girls and Women with AD/HD, are pioneers in their field. They find that many women and girls with ADD/ADHD still do not get adequate treatment.

100 Questions & Answers is a superb introduction to the condition, for any newly diagnosed woman or a mom with an ADD/ADHD daughter. Its clear, thoughtful answers are based on research studies, as well as the narratives of women grappling with their own symptoms. My ADD/ADHD daughter and I tried one of Quinn’s tips for getting boring tasks done: “Do it with a friend.” My daughter hangs out in the kitchen while I wash dishes, then I keep her company while she organizes her homework and repacks her backpack. Before we know it, both tasks are done, and we can reward ourselves by popping a bag of kettle corn.

As Nadeau points out, self-education leads to more than heightened self-awareness — for a woman with ADD/ADHD, it may be the only way to secure the treatment and support she needs. This book is a must for me, for my daughter, and for any other female with the condition.