39: Autism in Girls

In this podcast we welcome back Miriam Kirby, a developmental paediatric psychologist who has extensive experience working with children with autism. 

Rates of autism prevalence suggest that boys are, on average, 4 times more likely to have autism than girls. But this figure may hide the true incidence of autism in girls and women as it can be harder to diagnose and even go unnoticed in some. New research suggests that current diagnostic methods overlook girls. Parents with daughters on the spectrum will often share frustrating tales of how difficult it was to get a proper diagnosis for their daughters, some take until adulthood to reach this. 

So how does autism affect girls? How do girls with autism cope at school?  

In this episode we discuss why autism can be difficult to diagnose in girls and why they often present late. We also discuss the effect of later diagnosis may have on treatment and what treatment is available.