April is autism acceptance month.
How many women with autism had no idea that she was autistic until she was grown up.
“We look really different,” said the psychologist and professor at Antioch University in Seattle. “The evaluation measures developed as a standard were based on young white boys. The problem with early autism measures is that they are mainly based on behavioral analyzes of family and teachers and possibly not catch certain behaviors of girls and women.”
This may explain why boys and men are diagnosed more often than girls.
While the autism diagnostics have increased significantly in the past ten years, adult women have recorded the most remarkable increase – by 315% compared to men in women.
While researchers do not know whether more people develop autism, it is assumed that the increase in diagnoses is related to more people, recognize the signs of autism in women and go beyond long -term gender prejudices during autism screening.
“Since autism is normally regarded as” male disorder “, we missed many women who correspond to the criteria, but did not show the stereotypes associated with the disease,” said Hannah Belcher, lecturer and postdoctor at King’s College in London, in which autism was diagnosed as an adult. “Women often show an internalized presentation, which means that they are often overlooked or released as” shy “or” introverted “.”
The ratio of men to women has been 4: 1 for years, but the researchers believe that it is closer to 3: 1. Other studies indicate that about 8 out of 10 autistic women at 18 did not remain diagnosed.
The “mask” hides autism
Signs of autism in girls and women can include social difficulties, repetitive behaviors, sensory problems, problems with executive function and self -regulation as well as repeated behavior.
A young girl with autism could “mask” her properties through behavior and movement, which would not necessarily raise flags to outsiders, such as nail selection, count in your head or other cognitive repetition tasks. In contrast, hyperactivity, statements of statements and visual moods – often seeing boys – are among the signals that parents and teachers could identify as a further study.
Belcher and Waters also noticed that girls can better learn social scripts and behaviors. Because they could have friendships, get in touch with others and maintain eye contact – the skills that are known for many people with autism – people often miss the signs that they have the condition.
“Girls are socialized from an early age to fit others, be polite, calm and sensitive,” said Belcher. “The [stereotypical] Types of behaviors that go alongside autism are less tolerated in girls, and therefore they learn to hide them. Studies have shown that women with autism have to have a larger number of behavioral problems than their male counterparts in order to obtain a diagnosis, even if key features are the same. “
Studies also show that white children and children are more likely to diagnose autism in earlier years from a pronounced socio -economic background in earlier years than children with color and those from less privileged socio -economic environments.
A later diagnosis of autism can lead to poorer results
A childhood without diagnosis can mean years of feeling that something is wrong, but does not know what. And these years of lack of support and intervention services in critical stages of development can lead to poorer physical and mental health to adulthood. Treatment for the wrong conditions and a lack of treatment are likely. Women and girls with autism probably have health problems, chronic pain, gynecological problems such as dysmenorrhea (painful periods) and major problems with postpartum depression and menopause.
According to Belcher, autism is not often seen as a condition among girls and women until they seek help with other diseases such as anxiety, depression or eating disorders. Even then, they can be diagnosed incorrectly, which further delays proper treatment and support. This can help to ensure that the suicide rates in women and girls with autism are also higher.
“A diagnosis can help you know why you have to fight and why you are different and you understand better,” said Belcher.
Wake up
“I was certainly one of the girls who were mixed in the woodwork,” said Waters. “I was one of these children who fell through the cracks and made it terrible at school. I just tried to hide myself and not get into trouble.”
Waters attributes to her sister that she has taught her to take notes and improve her learning habits, which helped her end her junior and senior years with higher grades. After three months she broke off the college, but later returned to acquire an Associate degree and become a veterinary technician. She said she enjoyed the job and played well to give the courage to return to school five years later. This time she developed a love of psychology and got almost perfect grades in the Bachelor and Graduate School when she followed this field.
Nevertheless, water only thought of autism in 2012 when one of her students told her that he was diagnosed. Waters was surprised and thought of popular culture like Dustin Hoffman in “Rain Man” or others who needed significant physical and emotional support to do the daily tasks.
The more the student spoke, the more she saw some similarities in her own behavior. After Waters had decreased an online quiz that undoubtedly left the spectrum in the spectrum, she even said that her wife even “makes a lot of sense” when she shared her results.
“It felt very much after my coming out process,” said Waters. “In retrospect, they look and see things that were clear signs that I was autistic, but it was scary because even less about autism was known than now. Here I am, a clinical psychologist and I wonder: ‘Can I still do that?’ “Is that okay?”
Waters went for professional tests and received a diagnosis that confirmed the online test. She finally told her department head in 2019 and he reacted with a hug.
With the support of her institution and others, Waters was ready to help other women. She founded the Awake project to work for women with autism and has developed a flourishing online community. She is also trained to diagnose patients in their private practice.
While the growing awareness of autism in adult women can help improve their quality of life, it can have considerable benefits for the long -term mental health of women as early as possible.
“I have a lot of hope that the zeitgeist will change, especially when younger people will be diagnosed and try to stigmatize autism,” said Waters. “Even the discourse, since I started with the Awake project, has changed. My younger audience is in the sense of understanding a neurodiving mind, the functionality and the ability to help others.”
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