Autism Spectrum Disorder impacts social communication and the individual typically presents with repetitive and restrictive behaviors. Researchers have found out that there is a huge difference in the brain anatomy of girls without autism and girls with autism.
This also explains why autistic girls and women usually present with unique characteristics that might make diagnosing it difficult. Girls have different and less obvious symptoms as compared to boys, and this is the reason why they are generally diagnosed later.
In addition, it seems that girls have some forms of protection from specific genetic variants that are responsible for autism. And when they become autistic, they need to undergo therapy and support that properly addresses their neurological, social, physical, and emotional needs.
How Girls with Autism Behave and What They Do
- They usually use doll play to help them understand the social situations surrounding them. They often have imaginary friends and experiences and extremely detailed imaginary worlds.
- They often observe keenly when trying to understand situations, before they make any step. A girl with autism may mimic someone, or try to take that person’s characteristics, trying to emulate them.
- A girl with this condition will often read fiction and watch soap operas, to help them in learning the inner thoughts, motivations and feelings.
- They also apologize more frequently than normal and would always try to appease others. Their dressing style and mannerisms may, in most cases be categorized as tom boys. In such a case, it means they have “male brain”, and would be gifted in engineering and mathematics.
The difference in brain anatomy of girls suffering from autism and girls who do not have autism is greater than the difference between boys with autism and boys without autism. Some of the most recent research on the syndrome has also indicated a rise in the number of girls diagnosed with autism from the previous research.
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