So, in my last post I talked about mimicking, and how it’s one of the common traits of female autistics that helps mask the fact that we’re autistic. A couple of days ago, my sister (the SLP one, not the teacher) found a post on Facebook that contained a wonderful poster/infographic (see below; designed by Karen Baker, a graphic designer in the UK) about the traits of autism in females, and shared it. The poster, Mrs Speechie P, also wrote the following:
This is such great information! We know girls are frequently missed, and this is often due to their ability to imitate others and mask their difficulties. It’s important to note that girls with autism will still have difficulty socializing- although it is difficult for non specialists (and frequently specialists too!) to recognize as it’s typically different than the way boys on the spectrum present. If you are concerned with your daughter or female student, talk to her teacher and ask how about how she interacts with peers, this might give you some good info!
Traits in Female Autistics: This is me!
As mentioned in the caption… this is me! So many things on this list fit with me exactly: very creative; exceptional vocabulary; interests include writing, animals, art, songs; imaginative; good at facts and figures; difficulty fitting in; problems with social cues; shy; wants friends; masks difficulties; depression; anxiety…. Yeah, this could be The Story Of My Life. (Even some of the ones I didn’t include in the list two sentences ago apply, or applied when I was younger but I’ve managed to control them to the point they’re not a huge issue, though if I’m stressed I need the rigid routines again….)
Some interesting takeaways here, that could hopefully help get more girls diagnosed earlier.
🙂 tagÂûght
*Thumbs up!* This is a great graphic; maximum info and clarity.
Isn’t it just! The artist has done other infographics as well, so there’s experience there.