There has been a notion that boys are affected more with Autism rather than girls. Although boys do tend to be diagnosed earlier and more often than girls, there’s growing evidence that autism in girls is often missed due to this certain notion.
Here is what most disability support workers have to say.
Why Autism is Often Missed in Girls
One of the main reasons that autism is often missed in girls is they seem to be very good at hiding the symptoms.
Older girls, and those with milder forms of autism, seem to be able to copy what their peers are doing and try to work hard to ‘befit’ with their friends.
So, a girl who has trouble making friends and reading faces might just might be marked to be just ‘shy’ or ‘introvert’. Other than that, a girl with an obsessive interest in collecting soft toys might just be said to be enjoying her play.
Symptoms of Autism In Girls
However, the actual symptoms of autism are quite similar to those of the boys – it’s just that it’s often overlooked or hard to come by in girls.
A few other common signs of autism in girls may include:
- Copying others to blend in
- Being passive or just being ‘too shy’
- Very few close friendships
- A tendency to evade difficulties
- More control over emotions at school/public places, but less control at home
- A vivid imagination (might escape into worlds of fiction)
- Strong interests such as animals, music, art etc.
- Difficulty in arranging objects
- Trouble playing – wanting to dictate the rules or preferring to play alone
- Sensory sensitivities – such as food textures, socks, fabrics etc.
Remember, autism is complex problem to reckon with. It’s not always easy to make an autism diagnosis as there’s no lab test for it. That’s why it’s important to consult specialists or a disability support workers whom you can rely on watching your child play and interact, and also chat to you about what you see and experience day to day.
Call OSAN Ability Assist, an NDIS Service provider in Sydney for more information.
