Autism & ADHD in girls: What parents nee...

Episode 214 with Dr. Brady Bradshaw

In this special interview episode, guest host and ADHD Life Coach Lindsey Buchanan sits down with her sister, psychiatrist Dr. Brady Bradshaw, MD, for an honest, evidence-based conversation about ADHD and autism in girls and women. 

Drawing on both medical expertise and deeply personal experience — Lindsey has her own ADHD diagnosis and is the mother of a daughter with Level 1 autism — this episode covers the symptoms, the overlap, the myths, and the path forward for families navigating neurodivergence.

In this episode, we cover:

Autism in Girls & Women:

• Why ADHD in females is so frequently missed or misdiagnosed
• The difference between how ADHD presents in boys vs. girls (external vs. internal symptoms)
• Key signs to look for: busy brain, daydreaming, excessive talking, forgetfulness, losing things, sleep disturbances
• The role of hormonal shifts (puberty, postpartum, perimenopause) in unmasking ADHD symptoms
• How high intelligence and anxiety can "protect" ADHD girls from detection — but at a serious cost
• What happens when smart girls hit the ceiling — the college transition and why it's a high-risk time
• The connection between undiagnosed ADHD and unhealthy coping mechanisms (vaping, caffeine, energy drinks)
• Why seeking a diagnosis doesn't automatically mean starting medication

Autism in Girls & Women:

• The neurodivergence umbrella: understanding where ADHD and autism both fit
• The important statistic: the majority of people with autism also have ADHD — but not vice versa
• Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder Levels 1, 2, and 3 — and why Level 1 (formerly Asperger's) is so easy to miss
• Core diagnostic criteria: deficits in social communication AND insistence on sameness/repetitive behaviors
• How masking works in autistic girls with high intelligence
• Why puberty is another "watershed moment" for autism diagnoses in girls
• How insistence on sameness and rigidity is anxiety-driven — and what it actually feels like for the child
• The difference between ADHD rigidity and autism rigidity (and why it matters)

Debunking Myths:

• The science is clear: vaccines do NOT cause autism
• Why dietary changes (gluten-free, dairy-free) will not "fix" or cure autism
• The role of food sensitivities in autism — and when to actually see a GI doctor
• Why the desire to find a "cause" can lead families toward misinformation

After the Diagnosis — What's Next:

• Why parent education and parent coaching is the highest-yield first step
• How ABA therapy may not be right for every Level 1 autism child (and what PDA — Pathological Demand Avoidance — means for treatment)
• The importance of speech therapy, OT, and physical therapy — when applicable
• Why understanding a diagnosis is therapeutic in itself
• Lindsay's personal recommendation: the Mothers Together support group on Marco Polo

Websites: bradybradshawmd.com ; womenandadhd.com/lindsey

Links & Resources:

• Is This Autism? by Donna Henderson — recommended for understanding autism in girls and Level 1 autism
• ADHD 2.0 by Ned Hallowell & John Ratey — Dr. Bradshaw's top ADHD book recommendation

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Episode edited by E Podcast Productions

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Women & ADHD coaching: www.womenandadhd.com/coaching

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Work 1-on-1 with Katy: www.womenandadhd.com/katy

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Order the “Hey, it’s ADHD!” course: www.womenandadhd.com/adhdcourse

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If you are a woman who was diagnosed with ADHD and you’d like to apply to be a guest on this podcast, visit womenandadhd.com/podcastguest.

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