Treating adolescent girls and women with ADHD: gender-specific issues.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), commonly diagnosed in males, is often a "hidden disorder" in girls and women. This lack of recognition can be partially explained because the symptoms are less overt in females. In addition, coexisting disorders in females are often different from those seen in males who have ADHD. Higher rates of anxiety, mood, and substance disorders, as well as learning disabilities, often complicate the picture. Thus, clinicians are challenged with disentangling the symptoms of ADHD from symptoms of these coexisting conditions. In addition, fluctuating hormone levels may affect ADHD symptoms and treatment in females. Only with gender-sensitive diagnosis and treatment will the public health concern posed by the underdiagnosis of ADHD in females be addressed. This case report of a 23-year-old female illustrates the specific difficulties with the gender-sensitive aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in females. Copyright 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc