ASD in girls

[catherinea1971]

Hi all, I posted a while ago with concerns about my dd2 potentially being on the spectrum (ds1 aged 4 diagnosed 18months ago).
I keep hearing both on here and elsewhere that girls present differently to boys. I am just wondering if anyone can clarify a little for me please.
Dd1 presents in some ways similar to ds at the same age, but many things seem to be polar opposites, for example, she is overly social to the point where she has gone and sat on strangers knees in waiting rooms.
She is now been seen by all agencies so is well in the system and is having portage and attending a special needs group weekly so I have managed to get everything in place for her.
I'm just really interested to see what differences others on here have experienced with girls.
Hope at least some of that makes sense, both of the little ones crap sleepers! :)

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7616555.stm

www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/12/autism-aspergers-girls

These may help.

for those articles Dawn

the quote from Tony Attwood re; fantasy and using it to withdraw describes the only trait my DD has that is NOT classic austism (IMO)

catherinea, how old is your DD now? my 4.6yrs DD is overly sociable at times, she will try to hug strangers and chat away as if they are well known to her

Hi there my dd1 is 7 and dx adhd they did a questionaiire for aspergers but she fell just outside the threshold for it but paed said she does have some traits - no imaginative play, talks to adults the same as she would a child (which drives me insane as she appears very rude), and she is very overfriendly! Something I remember clearly is when we used to get the bus to school she would always talk to the homeless people, holding their hands suffice in their knee, giving them her fruit etc etc. She tells everyone intimate details about our lives! She also speaks in a very blunt manner almost like an adult with a very dry sense of humour but she doesn't do it to be funny iyswim. She's just very matter of fact.
She appears like she has no respect for adults but its just the way she talks.

Hoping now she has changed schools she will be reassessed again.

Thanks for the links and the replies. She is 21 months now, I have suspected asd from as early as the week of her birth as she was a poor feeder, wouldn't bf as she hated being that close. She is not really talking, well she has a few words but doesn't use them to communicate IyswIm?
She will kiss total strangers but will only give us a kiss on her terms:(
She's a flapper, though less now, a spinner, tiptoe walker, crap eater still, has always refused to be spoon fed....the list goes on.
I suppose I am just very curious to see what others experiences are wrt girls, there is loads out there about boys but it seems very little info on girls!!
She's a lovely little thing though, not at all worried about it all, been there, done that and I have been really successful in getting everything in place for her so early on which can only serve to help her.:)

Will have to have a look for some books, gets a little annoying when the paeds registrar said that she seemed too sociable in his opinion to be on the spectrum......

Sorry Catherine misread ur post thought u were talking bout ur 4 yr old. My 2.3 yr also going through diagnositic route at present and has portage etc. Dd2 has screamed relentlessly from birth, is fussy extremley with clothing hairbrushing and nail cutting. Fussy eater. Slow to talk and had salt but in last 2 months has really come on. Is very social on one to one with adults but dislikes being approached by her peers. Her sleep is terrible and sometimes only has 4 hours however just got melatonin which is working a bit for her.
Unsure what the outcome will be for her its a waiting game I guess

It's ok Chundle, I often have to re-read stuff, it's the demon sleep deprivation:)
I've done it all before with ds so had got everything in place myself, so much so that when I saw the paeds reg he started saying that he would refer for portage, salt ed psych etc, had to tell him not to bother as I had self referred dd to them all:)
It is a waiting game and can be a difficult one at times, the urine test they are talking about, if it ever gets done will save so many parents so much stress and uncertainty with the added bonus of getting help fro children from the outset.
Pleased to hear the melatonin is of help, ds has been on it for over a year and I don't think it makes that much difference with him, will be looking to try it again though if dd2's sleep doesn't improve when she gets a bit bigger!

I think I am fortunate in that I have dd1 (different dad) she is definitely NT and I had virtually zero behavioural problems with her, she is a reminder to me that it is not my parenting of the 2 little ones that is the problem.

Hi , just thought I would update.
DD was given a working diagnosis of ASD on Thursday from the paed, she did say she would give a full diagnosis if I wanted her to but that she would prefer to wait for another salt assessment.
Said I was fine with a working diagnosis for now as it won't make any difference as dd is getting all the input I feel she needs.
Strange though as although I was very sure from her being a young age since I saw the pead on Thursday I keep doubting that there is anything at all wrong, I was like this when ds was diagnosed though so probably a normal reaction.

Hi catherinea, i am glad and sad that you got a dx for your Dd, i get what you mean about doubting that there is anything wrong.

Dd3 was dxed in september after a long hard battle and yet somedays i watch her and think i have made a mistake.

Mostly though i know we have done the right thing, her social skills are pretty rubbish and changes to her routine lead to so much anxiety.

Just to say when she was little, under 5 her best friend in the world was the man who owns the little shop down the road from us.

Good luck.

Im glad you got what you needed. Its hard with two, I have 2 girls with Autism and there are a few here that also have 2 dx kids too.
Where abouts are you?

Thanks for the replies. I think that maybe the doubts can also be because our kids are 'normal' to us if you see what I mean, so sometimes there just doesn't look to be anything going on.
I think I will have my work cut out with dd, she is a feisty little madam in comparison to ds who is quite chilled as his default!
I live in the Merseyside area, fortunately where they have a very good set of paeds as well as many good sn schools and units.
Was quite funny when we saw the paed, we saw the registrar at the first appointment and dd was in her pram. As soon as I got dd in the paeds office she went over to her and climbed on her knee!! Very overly sociable she is! :)