According to recent behavioral and preliminary neuroimaging findings, autism manifests differently in girls than in boys. Often females with autism are closer to typical development than their male peers which can make girls more difficult to diagnose. Also, criteria for diagnosing autism is based almost entirely on studies involving boys.
New studies involving girls have some interesting preliminary findings. Girls with autism’s brain’s processes social information much like a typical boy of the same age, but differently from both a typical girl and a boy with autism. On measures of friendship and empathy, girls with autism again score similarly to typically developing boys of the same age, but lower than typically developing girls of the same age. Studies have also found that on average, girls with autism tend to place more importance on social relationships, they have less repetitive behaviors, their interests are more similar to same-age typically developing girls and they are better at pretend play than boys with autism
Other new studies suggest that autism may manifest itself in girls in the guise of anorexia. The cognitive profile of a girl with anorexia and one with autism is very similar, with characteristics such as rigidity, detail-orientation and becoming distressed by change. Also people with autism often have restricted diets due to sensory sensitivities involving food. Shared behavior traits may lead girls with autism to be misdiagnosed with an eating disorder or several other disorders that share traits with autism including ADHD and obsessive compulsive disorder.
With new studies and awareness, hopefully, accurate diagnoses for girls will improve so that girls can get help earlier and benefit more. Also, treatment can be more tailored to the special needs of girls with autism.
May 31, 2016