Let’s Talk About Autism in Girls
By Dr. Haley Brickman, psychologist with Compass Psychology in Westerville, Ohio.
In my testing practice, a common presentation I see is a middle school girl with undiagnosed autism brought in by her parents due to social, emotional, or behavioral concerns that have been misattributed as symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, or depression (often all three).
Tragically, girls with autism are going misdiagnosed for far too many years, preventing them from receiving early intervention found to be crucial in improving functioning. What’s more, autistic girls with higher IQs are even less likely to receive a diagnosis, and when they do, it’s on average several years later than boys with similar symptoms. Here are some of the reasons why:
1. Effective Social Mimicry: Many girls with autism excel at imitating social behaviors, which can hide their social communication difficulties from even the most observant eyes.
2. Subtle Symptoms: Unlike the more overt symptoms often seen in boys, the signs of autism in girls can be more nuanced and less recognizable. This doesn’t mean that they do not exist or are less impactful!
3. Conforming Interests: Their intense interests may not seem as ‘atypical’ or stereotypically autistic as what we generally associate with autism in boys, but rather align with those of their peers, making it harder to identify autism as the underlying issue.
4. Internalized Emotional Struggles: These girls frequently internalize their struggles, leading to misdiagnoses of emotional disorders rather than recognizing autism.
5. Societal and Cultural Stereotypes: Prevailing stereotypes about how autism manifests often overlook female presentations, contributing to a gender bias in diagnosis.
6. Socially, Teen Years Tell More: While basic social interactions might not be recognizably atypical, as these girls grow, the more complex social demands of adolescence unveil the underlying challenges of autism.
As these girls move into their teenage years, the complexity of social interactions intensifies, highlighting their struggles with autism that were once masked. Luckily, there are standardized assessments specifically designed to evaluate these symptoms in girls and get them the appropriate treatment.
It’s about seeing the full picture and providing a supportive environment where these young women can thrive. We owe it to them to look beyond the surface and understand the unique challenges they face.
