Starting to see what parents of girls with AS/ASD must go through

[coppertop]

I'm amazed at how many people truly believe that girls can't possibly have autism. Dd (8mths) so far seems very NT, although of course it's too early to say for sure. Several people have asked, either directly or indirectly, whether I can see any difference between dd and her brothers. When I say that she's very different I'm surprised by comments about how she couldn't be autistic as she is a girl. I find myself having to explain over and over that although girls are less likely to have AS/ASD it doesn't mean that it's impossible. It's scary how common this misconception seems to be.

i never realised that people thought that. does it make it harder to get a dx of autism for a girl.
my bf dd still hasn't got a dx and she is 17.
I do know that at one time autism was menetioned iynwim.

I haven't come across that either although i read that boys with a dx out number girls with a dx by something like 8:1.

did anyone read a piece of research done last year that was in the news re. this subject? It basically said that autism/aspergers was often misdiagnosed in girls, and suggested that it may show itself with anorexic type symptoms. the thinking was that girls with anorexia were often very intelligent, and obsessed with the calorific value of everything, and tied together with feeling socially excluded, it meant symptoms of anorexia developed. don't know how good/reliable the research was, think it was bbc news website I read it on. I guess it could be possible...
I know what you mean though, coppertop, its just another of many misconceptions about autism held by those lucky enough to have no contact with it.

My friend was told that her dd couldn't be autistic because she was a girl by her GP!!

I saw a locum GP who (was about 80 and) said "hmm autism terrible condition, girls don't get it you know". I corrected him Funnily enough my Mum removed us from his practice when I was a teenager because he was crap

autism is less comon in girls the figures used to be 1 girl to every 4 boys, thou of course in our house we have two girls and one boy
i did read that girls with autism were less able than boys with autism,that is true in our house.
i often wonder why more boys have autism, i agree with simon b-c who says autism is an extreme of being male. in my experiences males tend to have more difficulties with comunication, empathy & obsessions, or maybe thats only true in our house

Nope, its not just in your house OJ!

i have had this said to me on many occasions. particularly when DD was born someone said "ooh i bet thats a releif" when i, rather confused asked her why sge said " well at least she wont be like DS as girls can't get it can they"

well apart from the fact that autism isn't catching i explained that yes actualy girls can have autism although its not as common, but when they do have it they are usually far worse/less able.

I didn't know that when girls had it they were more affected by symptoms than boys.... my DD3 is a mystery. Her symptoms are clouded by fact that she also has down syndrome. Apparently one in 10 people with DS are also on autistic spectrum, but it used to go undiagnosed as all behaviours were "its because she has down syndrome". In reality most people with downs want to communicate, even though speech difficulties are common, but for a while my girl was in her own little world. things are improving though, but she has no speech

I don;t know that they;re always more affected. My friend's dd is way more able than ds1 (although she wouldn't be classed as HFA). I suspect its because fewer higher functioing girls are dxed- for the reasons given by headless. Higher functioning girls are maybe more able to appear normal than higher functioing boys.

In terms of girls with HFA, and not classic autism, could it also be that girls in general seem to be more sensitive to children who appear 'unusual'. So girls with HFA might be more accepted amongst their peer group compared to a rowdy group of boys. I'm thinking younger children here only because my ds is only 6, but in my experience I've found that girls are far more acccepting, sensitve and tolerant to my ds's strange behaviour, so maybe parents wouldn't be so ready to accept/investigate a diagnosis if their child fits in relatively well within their peer group.

Also generally their language use is better (talking AS here). Claire Sainsbury's Martian in the Playground is a good description of being a girl with AS. Not picked up until her early 20's, very able, but always struggling underneath.

yes....annoys me too....

as mum of 3 boys (2 dx ASD...one likely to be.....)

my brother's 1st baby due this week....and back in the summer....whilst here for a BBQ...and my 3 were stimming nicely ...and spitting on the trampoline!!!...
my brother actually said...."we hope this one is a girl- as she won't have autism"

I got very angry...and pointed out the facts.
girls do...it's just females are naturally more social/empathetic etc...so are better able to 'mask' signs of it.
(i should know!!!)

aslo meant to add...supposing a parent suspects ASD in a daughter...and is met with professionals with that idea of only boys being ASD...well....what a bloody struggle to be listened to!

yes it is a struggle.
I was dx,d with AS last year and had to explain and fight my corner to everyone but the person who dx,d me.
The GP, "girls dont usually get that and people who have that are like trainspotter type of people and you are not one of those"
My Mum, "no you dont have AS, you are reading too much into things because of whats going on with DS"
My sisters dont talk about it and when i mention it the subject is changed and every medical professional that i have met through either DS or DD say "~YOU-AS?, but you have good social skills and eye contact, are you sure"?

Its a hard and not very nice thing to have to go through getting a dx and last year DS child psychiatrist from CAMHS got hold of my medical notes and proceeded to trash everything about my dx to me, telling me that the psychiatrist who dx,d me hadnt meant that i have AS, even though i have a dx in writing as does my GP and my mental health worker.
I can understand why parents of girls with AS/HFA dont go down the dx route.

But for me its the best thing thats ever happened to me and i feel like a big weight has lifted off my shoulder and that i finally understand who i am.

I have 3 children,my two boys are NT, and my daughter who is severely autistic.

I have a 13 yr old daughter she has severe autism ,severe learning difficulties ,she has epilepsy and is non verbal ,i have a son 15 who is also on the spectrum but is no where near as profoundly affected as my daughter i have trawled the web looking for someone with a daughter similar to mine as i would love to chat she is the only girl in her class and the school seem to be perplexed when i ask about PMS or period problems or anything related to girls problems so do NAS ,i feel all the more isolated and alone

Dee31, i do know exactly how you feel... the difficulties, i will CAT you, with email address

whats a CAT

well ijust looked and apparently i blocked mine but have unblocked them now

I would say that girls on the higher end of the spectrum are far less affected than boys.
My own dd was hard to dx and I think her asd is far more obvious when she is anxious.
My own dd is so able in many ways and I think bluffs her way through but when you spend more than 10 minutes with her it is more than obvious that she isn't "nt".