Title: Intense connection and love: the experiences of autistic mothers Title: ‘When my autism broke’: A qualitative study spotlighting autistic voices on menopause

Title: Pubertal timing during early adolescence: Advanced pubertal onset in females with autism spectrum disorder Source: Archives of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, 305. Title: Sensory challenges experienced by autistic women during pregnancy and childbirth: a systematic review Title: Positive and differential diagnosis of autism in verbal women of typical intelligence: A Delphi study Title: ‘You don’t look autistic’: A qualitative exploration of women’s experiences of being the ‘autistic other’ Source: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 26(2):16.

Title: Medical symptoms and conditions in autistic women Source: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(12). Title: “Life is much more difficult to manage during periods”: Autistic experiences of menstruation Source: MCN, American Journal of maternal Child Nursing, 47(1). Title: Breastfeeding experiences of autistic women Source: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 20(4):13. Title: The experiences and needs of females adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder Source: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(10). Title: The experiences of late-diagnosed women with autism spectrum conditions: an investigation of the female autism phenotype Source: Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 21(6):9. Title: ‘I was just so different’: The experiences of women diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder in adulthood in relation to gender and social relationships Title: Autistic women’s experience of intimate relationships: the impact of an adult diagnosis

Community: our online community is a place for autistic people and their families to meet like-minded people and share their experiences.Branches: offering support, information and social activities for autistic adults, children and their families in their local areas.Autism Services Directory: for services and support.This means the process may not be as sensitive to characteristics more commonly found in autistic women and girls. Some tools used to diagnose autism are designed to identify autistic characteristics that may be more common in autistic men and boys. This means women and girls may be misdiagnosed with mental health issues or their autistic traits may be missed amid the symptoms of co-occurring conditions. However, in autistic women and girls these behaviours and interests may be similar to those of non-autistic women and girls, such as twirling hair and reading books, and as such may go unnoticed despite the greater intensity or focus typical for autistic people.ĭoctors and other healthcare professionals can lack knowledge about how autism may present differently in women and girls. Stereotyped examples of these include rocking backwards and forwards, and a fascination with trains. Some of the core characteristics of autism are having ‘repetitive behaviours’ and highly-focused interests. They may also be missed if their academic achievement masks difficulties they are facing in other areas. At school, autistic girls may be more likely to be part of a friendship group and this could be a reason that teachers don't notice their differences. They might seem to have fewer social difficulties than autistic men and boys, but this could be because they are more likely to 'mask' their autistic traits (though the stress of doing so can result in anxiety and overwhelm). However, because of stereotyped ideas about what autism looks like and who can be autistic, many autistic women and girls struggle to get a diagnosis, receive a diagnosis late in life or are misdiagnosed with conditions other than autism.Īutistic characteristics in women and girls may differ from those of other autistic people. It is important that autistic women and girls receive a diagnosis (or recognise that they are autistic) so they can understand themselves and access support. Does autism present differently in women and girls?

Am i on the autism spectrum test