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Empowering and Supporting Women with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Women with autism spectrum disorders present with a complex social and behavioral profile that can differ from men. It is important to understand some of the diagnostic differences between women and men so that we can help empower women with autism spectrum disorders not only to address their...
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Navigating the Later Stages of Life with Autism and Aging
Something that we as a community have yet to fully turn our attention to is the question of “how do we help our autistic elders thrive and live in dignity as they age?” As a late-diagnosed autistic woman, I am a pretty good example of what growing up and growing old without any...
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I’ll Always Be a Sea Creature
Note: This article has been reprinted with permission. You may view the original article, published on November 28th, 2023, at www.neurodiversitypress.com/2023/11/28/ill-always-be-a-sea-creature. At swim practice, I would pretend I was a sea creature. And when I got a little older, I’d still...
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(Autistic) Girls on Film? An Analysis of Autistic Female Characters in Media and Fan Interpretations
Contrary to popular belief, autistic characters in TV and film are nothing new. The first instance of an autistic person being portrayed o-screen is popularly believed to be Amanda from the 1969 crime drama Change of Habit, starring Elvis Presley and Tyler Moore. Initially, the little girl is...
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Challenges in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Older Autistic Women
Autism has a unique neurological structure with a wide variety of expressions. This diversity of strengths, challenges, and experiences is why autism is considered a spectrum disorder. It’s also what makes it challenging to diagnose and treat because the myriad of symptoms manifested in any given...
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Tips for Women in Relationships with Partners on the Autism Spectrum
It is a challenge for most couples to find a balance between their needs and expectations and their partner’s needs and expectations. In a relationship where one individual is on the autism spectrum, there are likely many more opportunities for misunderstandings and frustration. Finding a path to...
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Hormonal Fluctuations and Women with Autism: A Call for Increased Awareness and Assessment
The topic of hormonal influences on women with autism has received scant attention from health care researchers. The responses to hormonal fluctuations and/or depletion of estrogen are varied and present challenges in health care prevention and promotion for some women with autism. Treatment...
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Periods and Pads and Pain, Oh My! Promoting Independence During Self-Care – Skills for Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder
As a parent, our biggest concerns for our children involve teaching them to be successful individuals who can advocate for themselves, providing them with an education to help them grow into successful adults, and keeping them safe. A common goal amongst all parents is to raise their children to be...
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Girls and Autism: Overcoming the Gender Gap to Ensure Best Outcomes
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 1 in 59 children has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with boys being four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls (Mandy et al., 2012). Recently, through a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies, it was concluded that the true ratio may be...
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Giving Girls a Chance: Educating Females with Autism
While autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more prominent in males, females are also diagnosed at much lower rates (Autism Speaks, 2019). Females diagnosed with ASD require similar services in addition to diverse gender specific supports from their special education teachers and related service...
