How And When Should I Tell My Child Theyre Autistic
8. Emotional regulation issues and meltdowns. Women with autism often have problems with emotional regulation. Research has shown that there is a poor connection between the frontal cortex and the amygdala in people with autism.4 Put simply, the amygdala can be thought of as an emotion centre in our brain, as its part of our limbic system and our mammalian brain. The frontal cortex can be thought of as our thinking brain, the more rational part of our brain which makes judgments.
Because of the poor connection between the two areas, women with autism may find it hard to rationalise situations and stay in control. Many describe having meltdowns: extreme emotional reactions to situations that might result in losing their temper, crying, or going into shutdown mode.
9. Stimming. Stimming refers to repetitive behaviours. The most obvious behaviours we associate with autism are rocking, hand flapping, repetition of words or phrases, and rocking or spinning. However, women with autism may display other stimming behaviours such as skin picking, feet rubbing, pacing, or hair twirling. People with autism tend to stim more than other people and may not be aware of their behaviours. It is thought that stimming is a self-regulation tool.
Anyone who identified with the above symptoms should seek out professional help. Autism displays similar symptoms to other conditions and a formal diagnosis can help establish whether or not autism may be at play.
References
A Unique Way Of Thinking A Taste For Solitude Intense Passions
Sophies story is typical of the chaotic lives led by women whose autism remains undiagnosed because they are on that part of the spectrum where the signs are less obvious. In spite of her impressive cognitive capacities like the ability to teach herself a totally new field of knowledge Sophie has no idea of her own talents, and neither do those around her, or only rarely. Trapped in a social environment highly critical of what makes her unique, such as her unusual way of thinking, taste for solitude, and the intensity of her passions, Sophie is acutely aware that these are seen as shortcomings.
If Sophie could be given the correct diagnosis of high-functioning autism, she would at last understand the way her mind works. She could meet other autistic adults and learn from their experience to help her overcome her own difficulties.
Autism is characterised by social and communicative difficulties, specific interests that people with autism are capable of speaking about for hours , and stereotyped behaviours. There are also differences in perception, such as hypersensitivity to smells or sounds, or, conversely, reduced sensitivity to pain. Autism is thought to affect around one in one hundred people.
Skilled In The Art Of Camouflage
As autistic girls grow up, the gap between how their condition and that of boys manifests widens. As adults, some autistic women can become highly skilled in the art of camouflage, which explains the use of the term invisible disability to describe certain types of high-functioning autism. Incidentally, this is the meaning of the title of Julie Dachezs 2016 graphic novel, The Invisible Difference .
More and more women are discovering their condition later in life and sharing their experience. Since September 2016, the Francophone Association of Autistic Women has been fighting for recognition of the specific ways autism manifests in women. A learned society on autism in women is also being created in France, bringing together the general and scientific communities, with the goal of promoting dialogue between researchers and autistic women.
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A Specific Questionnaire For Girls
Historically, major figures in autism research believed there was significant prevalence in women. The Austrian child psychologist Hans Asperger put forward the idea as early as 1944, as did British psychiatrist Lorna Wing, as early as 1981. But its only in recent years the scientific community has really started examining the evidence.
Some researchers aim to better understand the specific characteristics of autism in women. Since the beginning of this year, volunteers are invited to participate in a study on autism in women conducted by Laurent Mottron, a professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Montreal , and Pauline Duret, a doctoral student in neuroscience, in collaboration with myself and Adeline Lacroix, working at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris . Adeline Lacroix is a masters student in psychology and has herself been diagnosed with autism.
Other studies are attempting to adapt diagnostic tools for use with female subjects. A team made up of Australian scientists Sarah Ormond, Charlotte Brownlow, Michelle Garnett, and Tony Attwood, and Polish scientist Agnieszka Rynkiewicz, is currently perfecting a specific questionnaire for young girls, the Q-ASC . They presented their work at May 2017 conference in San Francisco.
Translated from the French by Alice Heathwood for Fast for Word.
This article was originally published in French
The Cost Of A Missed Diagnosis
Dr. Epstein says undiagnosed autistic girls end up wondering whats wrong with them, which can lead to depression, anxiety and loss of self-esteem. They work so hard to fit in that it wears them out. Thats the thing about imitating, she says. You dont necessarily get it so youre just trying to do what people do. If youre just trying to mimic and you dont really understand, it makes it pretty rough.
Dr. Nash says less severe autism in girls is often first flagged because of these social issues, or the depression they generate. In people we call mildly autistic, there are adolescent social problems or theyre seeming hyperfocused on a topic and not participating in school to their potential or abilities, she says. Depression can be more common among high-functioning kids on the spectrum. So theyll come in for something like depression or poor school performance. Then it becomes more clear to me that they have a restricted interest and social communication issues.
Another cost of being overlooked is missing out on early support for skill-building. We talk about early intervention, Dr. Epstein says. When the girls are identified late, theyve missed out on a lot of social interventions that are much harder later. Thats the danger for anybody who gets a late diagnosis.
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Why Many People With Autism Dislike Functioning Labels
8. Emotional regulation issues and meltdowns. Women with autism often have problems with emotional regulation. Research has shown that there is a poor connection between the frontal cortex and the amygdala in people with autism.4 Put simply, the amygdala can be thought of as an emotion centre in our brain, as it’s part of our limbic system and our mammalian brain. The frontal cortex can be thought of as our thinking brain, the more rational part of our brain which makes judgments.
Because of the poor connection between the two areas, women with autism may find it hard to rationalise situations and stay in control. Many describe having meltdowns: extreme emotional reactions to situations that might result in losing their temper, crying, or going into shutdown mode.
9. Stimming. Stimming refers to repetitive behaviours. The most obvious behaviours we associate with autism are rocking, hand flapping, repetition of words or phrases, and rocking or spinning. However, women with autism may display other stimming behaviours such as skin picking, feet rubbing, pacing, or hair twirling. People with autism tend to stim more than other people and may not be aware of their behaviours. It is thought that stimming is a self-regulation tool.
Anyone who identified with the above symptoms should seek out professional help. Autism displays similar symptoms to other conditions and a formal diagnosis can help establish whether or not autism may be at play.
References
Common Forms Of Camouflaging Include:
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forcing yourself to make eye contact during conversations
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preparing jokes or phrases ahead of time to use in conversation
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mimicking the social behaviour of others
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imitating expressions and gestures.
While both males and females with autism can camouflage their symptoms, it appears to be more common among women and girls. This could explain why women are less likely to be diagnosed with autism.
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The Costs Of Camouflaging Autism
Many girls hide their autism, sometimes evading diagnosis well into adulthood. These efforts can help women on the spectrum socially and professionally, but they can also do serious harm.
Spectrum
Except for her family and closest friends, no one in Jennifers various circles knows that she is on the spectrum. Jennifer was not diagnosed with autism until she was 45 and then only because she wanted confirmation of what she had figured out for herself over the previous decade. Most of her life, she says, she evaded a diagnosis by forcing herself to stop doing things her parents and others found strange or unacceptable.
Over several weeks of emailing back and forth, Jennifer confides in me some of the tricks she uses to mask her autism for example, staring at the spot between someones eyes instead of into their eyes, which makes her uncomfortable. But when we speak for the first time over video chat one Friday afternoon in January, I cannot pick up on any of these ploys.
She confesses to being anxious. I didnt put on my interview face, she says. But her nervousness, too, is hidden at least until she tells me that she is tapping her foot off camera and biting down on the chewing gum in her mouth. The only possible tell I notice is that she gathers up hanks of her shoulder-length brown hair, pulls them back from her face and then lets them drop over and over again.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Autism In Adults
Since most of the focus on diagnosing autism is in small children, the definitive guide to adult autism isnt available.
In babies, autism is typically identified by a lack of eye contact, developmental delays, language delays, or indifference towards others, including their parents.
For adults, finding a diagnosis can be more complicated. Complicating matters, years of suppressing behaviors in order to fit in often means autistic individuals are exhausted and confused.
Furthermore, research shows many adults with autism may have comorbid anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, suicide attempts, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. And adult women with autism also may experience eating disorders. This can complicate receiving an accurate diagnosis.
Other common signs of autism in adult women may include:
- Preferring solitude, avoiding social interaction
- Considered shy or quiet
- Struggles with executive function
- Lack of libido or feeling of asexuality
- Interpreting things very literally
- Naive or trusting
Its also important to note that females with autism are three times more likely to be victims of sexual assault.
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References
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What Does High Functioning Mean
So, what does it mean if you are autistic and “high functioning?” It depends. Typically, if someone is diagnosed with ASD: Level 1, they are considered “high functioning.” However, someone’s social skills might be Level 1, and their behavioral issues might be Level 2.
Furthermore, although autism is a lifelong diagnosis that an individual does not “grow out of,” an individual might experience autistic burnout, a condition that causes increased functional deficits.
Factors that contribute to labeling an autistic person as “high-functioning” include how well they are able to hold a job, form and maintain relationships, communicate, and mask their autistic traits. Essentially, the better someone can blend in with a neurotypical society, the higher functioning they are. Because of this, many high functioning autistic people do not get diagnosed until later in life.
Where Can I Find Support
Given that women tend to be better at masking their symptoms, being an autistic woman can feel particularly isolating. For many women, its an emotional process that involves revisiting childhood behavior and social problems.
Consider reaching out to other autistic women. The Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting women and gender-nonconforming autistic people.
Even if youre not ready to interact with someone, you can find blog posts, first-person stories, and doctor recommendations online.
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Women with autism often display very different symptoms than men with autism, which may lead to an incorrect diagnosis or failure to be referred for diagnosis.
Not only do many women with autism spectrum disorder act in a more socially neurotypical wayusually as a result of having put a considerable amount of effort into learning how to act sociallybut the focus of their attention is different to that of men with ASD.
Here are five signs of autism in women:
1. Intense focus on a person/band/celebrity
One of the criteria used for determining ASDfor instance, in Simon Baron-Cohens Aspergers Test1is an intense focus on things, which may be related to collecting and hobbies such as train spotting.
Women with ASD also display very intense interests but, whilst they may be focused on objects, their focus is just as likely to be on people. Girls growing up with ASD may become obsessed with a celebrity or band to the extent that they need to know every single fact about them. Many of my clients who are in relationships become so focused on their partner that they can lose sight of their own needs.
Confusion
Symptoms And Signs Of High
High functioning autism is not actually an official medical diagnosis, nor is it an official medical term. This term is mostly used when talking about autism or autism spectrum disorder in general. Contrary to what most people think, this is not just found in children, signs of high-functioning autism in adults is also quite common.
Autism Spectrum Disorder can be found in all ages, races, genders, ethnic groups, racial groups, and socioeconomic groups. Autism is generally characterized by communication and social challenges, and repetitive behaviors.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Autism
Autism symptoms usually appear in early childhood, before the age of 2. For example, infants may not make eye contact. In some cases, they might show indifference toward their parents.
Around age 2, they may start to show signs of aggression, fail to respond to their name, or start taking steps backward in their language development.
Still, autism is a spectrum disorder, and not all autistic children display these symptoms. Generally, though, autism symptoms tend to involve problems with social interactions and behavioral patterns.
Understanding Autism In Women
Autism is rarer in females than in males. In fact, one major researcher in the field, Simon Baron-Cohen, wrote that autism is a manifestation of the extreme male brain.
There does seem to be a real difference in the number of females who are actually diagnosed with autism versus the number of males. But this so-called “female protective effect” is still being explored.
In recent years, it has become clear that autism is underdiagnosed in females. There are a number of reasons for this:
- Girls are more likely to internalize anxiety related to autism instead of behaving aggressively, they are more likely to become depressed or anti-social.
- Most cultures make it acceptable for girls to be “shy” whereas shyness is less acceptable in boys.
- When girls with autism focus exclusively on a particular interest, they are more likely than boys to choose a socially acceptable fascination such as unicorns or dolls.
Because fewer females have autism, fewer females with autism have been included in studies. More attention is now being paid to how autism manifests in females.
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Why Doctors Might Miss Autism In Girls
Doctors more commonly diagnose autism in boys than in girls. This can mean that parents, caregivers, and healthcare professionals may be less likely to look for symptoms of autism in girls.
Stereotypes about typical male and female behaviors may cause some people to miss symptoms. Many people think of girls as naturally quieter or more content to play alone than boys. However, speaking less and preferring to spend time alone can both be symptoms of autism.
There is some evidence to suggest that certain symptoms of autism are more common in boys than in girls. For example, repetitive behaviors and difficulty with impulse control may appear more often in autistic boys than autistic girls. These symptoms can be easier to spot than difficulties with communicating or socializing.
Girls and boys may deal with the symptoms of autism differently. Girls may hide their symptoms or put more time and energy into learning social norms. Autistic girls are also more likely to be able to form friendships than autistic boys. This can mask autism because many people see difficulty socializing as one of the key symptoms.
A common misdiagnosis of autism is a mental health issue. Mental health issues can also occur alongside autism. Anxiety, depression, and personality disorders can all share some symptoms with autism, which may cause a doctor to misdiagnose it.
However, this research used a cohort containing only 14 women, so this experience may not be a common one.