Cynthia Hammer, the founder of ADD Resources and the Inattentive ADHD Coalition, is a passionate advocate for recognizing inattentive ADHD in girls. In this conversation, she highlights how symptoms often go unnoticed, especially in educational settings, leading to late diagnoses. Cynthia introduces a new ADHD screening checklist and emphasizes the importance of identifying co-occurring conditions like sleep disorders and histamine intolerance. She also shares insights on the challenges girls face, including the pressure to mask their symptoms and the push for improved representation in society.
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insights INSIGHT
Girls' ADHD Often Undiagnosed
Girls with inattentive ADHD often go undiagnosed because symptoms are subtle and mask well in school.
Diagnosis usually happens later for girls, and early diagnosis by age eight is crucial for intervention.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Simplified Screening Checklist
Use a simplified ADHD screening checklist designed for girls based on DSM-5 and DIVA-5 criteria.
If many check marks appear, bring the form to a physician and discuss diagnosis possibilities.
insights INSIGHT
Physical Issues Linked to ADHD
Histamine intolerance and enzyme deficiencies affecting histamine breakdown are more common in those with ADHD.
These physical issues may worsen symptoms like sleep problems, revealing complex ADHD intersections.
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Living with Inattentive ADHD, Climbing the Circular Staircase of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Living with Inattentive ADHD, Climbing the Circular Staircase of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Cynthia Hammer
This week I’m joined again by Cynthia Hammer, founder of ADD Resources, the Inattentive ADHD Coalition, and more recently, FINDtheADHDgirls. Cynthia’s been a driving force in ADHD advocacy since the 90s and continues to be one of the loudest and clearest voices calling for earlier, more accurate diagnoses—especially for girls.
In our chat, we talked about how inattentive ADHD often slips through the cracks, especially in school settings, and how often many of us end up masking so well that even parents and teachers miss the signs. And since inattentive ADHD is predominantly seen in women, this is just another one of those issues that has driven so many women to go undiagnosed.
Cynthia walks us through the new ADHD screening checklist she developed, the importance of identifying co-occurring conditions, and how things like sleep, histamine intolerance, and even stretchy joints can intersect with ADHD in ways that aren’t always obvious.
Not all hyperactivity is easy to spot. When dealing with combined type, many suppress hyperactivity and find subtle, socially acceptable ways to move around (like volunteering to hand out papers or making frequent trips to sharpen pencils) as a form of masked hyperactivity.
Masking can often lead to delayed or missed diagnosis, especially for those who are people pleasers or academically high-performing. When a child seems fine at school but crashes emotionally at home, that’s a sign they may be overcompensating or masking symptoms all day.
Early intervention helps build long-term executive function. Treating ADHD early isn’t just about managing symptoms in the moment; it's about teaching skills like organization, regulation, and focus while the brain is most plastic and ready to learn.
Hacking Your ADHD