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Different is My Identifier
I was eight years old the first time I remember being aware of my difference. It didn’t have a name yet, that was still decades away, but nonetheless, suddenly at the ripe old age of eight, I was cognizant of that I was indeed different. For the seven years of life prior to that, I happily lived...
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Supporting Young Women with ASD Through Transition Services, Employment and Volunteer Opportunities
Over the next decade, approximately half a million young people on the autism spectrum will transition to adulthood (Demer, 2018). When they turn 21, they must leave behind the programming and funding that has supported them throughout their lives, with many families not knowing what to do next....
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Providing Menstrual Care Instruction to Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Adolescence is a developmental period that brings challenges to all children and parents. More extensive challenges can be experienced by children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. Understanding and coping with the physical, social, and emotional changes of adolescence is...
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A Shift Towards Better Understanding and Improving the Lives of Girls and Women With ASD
It has been widely established that females are less frequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than males. On average, prevalence of ASD is four times higher in males than in females (Baio et al., 2018). This ratio appears to be an inaccurate representation of prevalence by...
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Mentors Over White Knights – How to Support Autistic Women for Success
Like many neurotypical girls, I spent a lot of time growing up either reading or watching fairy tales in books or television. What’s peculiar about women on the Autism Spectrum is that our advocates sometimes mimic those white knights in shining armor; Meaning that someone on our care team will...
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Addressing the Female-Specific Challenges of Autism at Yes She Can
Empowerment is the theme that is woven into the training model at Yes She Can, Inc. Training young women with autism to be successful employees starts with a shared belief that women with autism can develop powerful voices in their own lives and in supporting the lives of others. We integrate...
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Meeting the Unique Needs of Women on the Autism Spectrum
The research on adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) 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 research reports that find women and men with primary ASD are...
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Considerations in Diagnostic Assessment of Females for Autism Spectrum Disorder
The literature suggests that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may go undiagnosed in females who do not have intellectual and/or language impairment (e.g., Mandy et al, 2012). Research on differences in ASD symptom presentation in females versus males is not yet well-developed and findings across...
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Job Skills Are Skills for Life
What we learn at work can often help us in our life, outside of our place of employment, and what we learn during our personal experiences can benefit our performance on the job. Sometimes these transferable job skills and behaviors are referred to as “soft skills.” For example, after an IBM...
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Social Connections for Women with ASD in Transition: 5 Areas of Importance
Entering into adulthood for women with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves a shift in many life systems. When preparing for the change from formal schooling to adulthood, a transition plan and support services are often provided. This is a time when students explore what life will look like as...
