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The Unique Needs of Women and Girls with Autism
My own experience perhaps gives an insight into the repeatedly similar tales I hear from other autistic women and parents of girls. I came to the field of autism via employment in education and then as Training Manager of a specialist Asperger mentoring project for young people. By this point,...
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“Labels Do Not Describe Me” Gender Identity Among Women on the Autism Spectrum
A large number of women with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are currently undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. In the United States, for every four males diagnosed with ASD, only one female is diagnosed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). While there is likely to be a true sex difference in...
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The Social Needs of Women on the Autism Spectrum
Current research on adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) without intellectual disability suggests that outcomes for adult women with ASD are especially poor relative to those of men (Taylor, Henninger, & Mailick, 2015). These findings stand in sharp contrast to recent findings that women...
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How Gender Differences Influence the Needs of Girls on the Autism Spectrum
I have often argued – and will never tire of arguing – that people on the autism spectrum are human first, rather than primarily autistic. Being human means many things, but we shouldn’t forget one of its most fundamental aspects: Relating to the surrounding world through our bodies, wherein...
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The Challenges of Adolescence for Females with ASDs
Approaching adolescence can be a challenging time for many individuals. The challenges are certainly different for each gender and females with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may experience these challenges in a unique way compared to their neurotypical peers. The uncertainty of the physical...
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“The Lighter Side of the Spectrum – a Mom’s View” This Boy Jack
It’s August now. The days are still long and hot and humid, but there is a tinge of autumn in the air, especially at night. Most of you are starting to think about school again. You are reading over your supply list for seventh grade and wondering if your new teacher is nice or strict. I...
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“Give a Spit” to Help Scientists Uncover the “Female Protective Effect” for Autism
For years, we’ve known that four times as many boys as girls are diagnosed with autism. More recently, genetic research has surprisingly shown that the various genes that cause autism are equally distributed in boys and girls. So what explains this difference - why do some girls who have the...
