She notes that boys tend to show an earlier onset than girls because of the presentation of symptoms.Ī 2021 study on adult-onset ADHD suggests that symptoms that present later in life could be due to childhood symptoms that weren’t addressed by a medical professional, among other factors.Įdwards says that ADHD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition, which means that people don’t “grow out of it.” But symptoms can change over time, especially with an early diagnosis and proper treatment. “The age of onset of ADHD symptoms is typically before the age of 12, but it can be as early as 2 to 3 years old,” Edwards says. Then they’ll undergo a thorough psychological interview and various cognitive testing exercises to try to receive a diagnosis.
Adhd vs add professional#
“The later in life people try to seek a diagnosis, the more they have to take into consideration comorbidities, trauma, medical conditions, etc.”Įdwards notes that a mental or medical health professional will typically refer someone for ADHD testing. “For adults, the diagnosis process can be complex because it has to be very thorough,” Edwards says.
“Boys and men are more likely than girls and women to be referred for services, even when their symptom profiles are exactly the same,” says Edwards, noting that this leads to higher diagnosis rates among boys and men.Ī 2019 study suggests that ADHD diagnosis may be more easily missed among females during the diagnostic process.įemales are also less likely to be prescribed medication and receive a diagnosis because they don’t typically display the disruptive external symptoms associated with ADHD.īased on Edwards’ experience living with ADHD and working with folks who have it, she’s noticed that different rates of diagnoses are often attributed to factors like cultural and gender biases and expectations.ĭue to a lack of education on ADHD in women and girls, Edwards says they’re more likely to be improperly diagnosed with other mental health conditions like:
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