The signs of autism can often go unnoticed in girls and women for a number of reasons.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more common in boys than in girls, although some research has suggested this may be due to biological factors, experts have put forward the idea that women may be under-diagnosed.
One of the possible reasons as to why there’s a gender imbalance in getting an autism diagnosis include camouflaging, in which women and girls with autism may learn to hide their symptoms to fit in socially.
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The National Autistic Society says ‘society’s understanding of autism has been limited to outdated stereotypes and incorrect assumptions’. Some doctors and other healthcare professions may lack knowledge about how autism may present differently in women and girls which means many struggle to get a diagnosis.
There may also be a misunderstanding about the autistic characteristics shown by women and girls, compared to men or non-binary people. “Some of the core characteristics of autism are having ‘repetitive behaviours’ and highly-focused interests,” the National Autistic Society explains.
“Stereotyped examples of these include rocking backwards and forwards, and a fascination with trains. However, in autistic women and girls these behaviours and interests may be similar to those of non-autistic women and girls, such as twirling hair and reading books, and as such may go unnoticed despite the greater intensity or focus typical for autistic people.”
If you think your child has autism, the NHS says you can speak with a GP, a health visitor for children under five, any other health professional your child has contact with, or a special educational needs (SENCO) staff member at your child’s school.
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Dr Mikki Lee Elembaby Psy.D, a New York-based psychologist from Clarity Therapy NYC specialises in autism assessment and diagnosis. Elembaby has shared signs of autism in young girls rather than adult women which may be missed.
They may struggle socially but be great at imaginative play
'Imaginative' or 'pretend' play is largely based on a child’s imagination, although some think children with autism struggle with this form of play the most. This type of play is considered sophisticated because it involves cognitive abilities such as abstract and creative thinking.
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“Many autistic girls love storytelling and pretend play, but struggle with the unspoken rules of socialising,” Elembaby told Huffington Post. “Research suggests they develop coping strategies to ‘blend in,’ making their autism harder to spot”
Finding friends may feel exhausting
Girls often do find friendships overwhelming and stressful, Elembaby says: “Boys often show obvious social difficulties, [but] autistic girls may have close friendships but feel exhausted by them.
“Their social struggles are more internal, making them less noticeable.”
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Repetitive behaviours that seem ‘normal’
Elembaby previously said men with autism might fixate on numbers, trains or mechanics which are all associated with autism.
However girls with autism might fixate on other topics, such as, “Collecting dolls, memorising TV scripts, or obsessing over fictional characters might not raise red flags — unlike lining up toys or fixating on numbers, which are more associated with autism in boys.”
Gregory Robinson