Boys on spectrum presenting in a way more commonly associated with girls

[Jacksterbear]

Just had a bit of a lightbulb moment and wanted to share to see if others have had the same experience, and also in case it helps shed light on things for anyone else.

My DS now has a (private) dx of ASD with a PDA profile, but we've been given conflicting opinions previously re whether he is on the autism spectrum. When discussing his dx with the person who gave it, and querying why ASD had previously been discounted by other professionals, it was pointed out that some of his difficulties (particularly with social interaction) are quite subtle and not necessarily immediately apparent. It was also commented that this kind of presentation is often seen in girls, which is a reason for the under-diagnosis of girls with ASD.

I have just had a look at this explanation on the NAS website and it totally makes sense for DS. It also fits in with his personality generally - he has a lot of traits which stereotypically are more commonly associated with girls.

Funnily enough, when I had a thread on here last year about ASD having then been discounted, a poster queried whether the paed had experience of dx-ing girls, and I was a bit at the time but now I see why - whoever you were, you were on the right track!

Jackster really pleased you have your diagnosis.just my opinion but I think the gender issue with autism is a bit overplayed .my son was assessed twice and was only diagnosed on the second assessment dd2 was diagnosed with autism at two

I agree with Autumn

I wonder if a memo's gone out or something , but you're the third person I've heard in the last month say they've been told their ds has female-ASD.

Really pleased for you that you have a dx.

That's interesting NoRunAround - a new trend?! Is that on here or in RL?

autumn I wonder if, then, esp if more boys are being dxed with this more supposedly female presentation, it would be more helpful to view it as simply different presentations, rather than solely "male" and "female" presentations. I suppose it's still important for there to be more awareness of the more subtle presentation possibilities.

(P.s. I'm very much a newbie at all of this and a lot of what I post is an attempt to get my head around stuff by writing it down and discussing it with others - I hope I don't offend anyone! )

Jackster you haven't offended anyone I'm new round here as well fwiw I think your point about subtle presentations rather than gendered ones is a good one

This is in real life :-), and I believe it's positive that boys with subtler presentations are being picked up.

However I'm not sure that attaching gender to it is helpful

That may have been me, Polter! I'm sure I have had that kind of discussion on here with someone!

Mine too, onwards.

Thanks all for your thoughts, interesting indeed.

I wonder if this new acceptance of so-called more "girly" ASD traits is actually leading to better diagnosis for girls?

From personal experience currently I would doubt that, as I am still struggling to get anyone to take dd2's issue seriously. I had a meeting with her school today - last report showed she has crashed from supposedly G&T to struggling and needing support in just 6 months. And still everyone looks at me as though I have 2 heads if I mention anything about potential ASD.

'But she's so sociable' I always get told, usually while having to hold back dd1 from butting into any and every conversation - and et dd1's dx is accepted without question due to her learning difficulties and language disorder.

I have Long maintained that dd2 is just dd1 without the language disorder, yet I am regarded as neurotic if I mention it at all...

Oh, and I have just entered the system with sociable, good at imitating ds!

So that will be interesting, to see how he is regarding at his developmental check...

Ah, thanks Polter, and this is the one I was thinking of - similarish discussion re use of language and same lovely report comment!

i have experience of this, dd2 (recently diagnosed ASD) is fairly subtle.

this time last year, dd2 spent time with her 2nd cousin. i have never met someone so like dd2. they immediately hit it off and spent ages under a bed, having the most bizarre conversation (they seemed to just 'get' each other) while the other kids played together elsewhere.

dd2's second cousin is a lovely, lovely, boy. he is struggling at school, way behind in literacy, suffering anxiety, has hypermobility, very sensitive, quirky and socially extremely immature. his presentation is so female. it was hard enough getting dd2's profile recognized. for him I believe it will be even harder.

his mum (my cousin's wife) has been a primary school teacher for years. She is umm-ing and ahh-ing about what to do. school are fobbing her off. As far as I know I'm the only one who is giving credence to her gut feeling.

It will be interesting to see if he even gets a referral let alone full assessment/dx.