Girls with mild autism are less likely to be identified and diagnosed than boys, a study suggests.Girls with mild autism display such different symptoms from their male peers that many may go undiagnosed, according to a new British study. Girls with autism were more likely to be obsessed with people and relationships while boys were more likely to display the repetitive behaviors more commonly associated with the disorder, the researchers said. "We shouldn't assume autism or Asperger syndrome will look the same in both sexes," said Simon Baron-Cohen, a University of Cambridge autism expert. BBC
1 comment:
This study did not surprise me at all. It reminds me a lot of behavior disorders. A lot of times girls are under-represented because their symptoms aren't as obvious. While boys are more overt with their symptoms (ex. acting out), girls are more inverted(ex. depression, withdrawal). Since the girls symptoms aren't as "noticeable" a lot of times they will not receive the services and treatment that they need. I've always heard that autism was mainly a "male disorder," but this study goes to show it may be just as prevalent in girls. Personally, I feel research needs to be done to design specialized assessments in testing for ASD. It is not fair for these girls to have to be denied the support they need.
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