The book "Women and Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorder" by Sarah Hendrickx

I have just finished reading this, and found it very well written and what I felt as a "handbook for others on my life" in many places. I had borrowed it from the library but was taking so many photos of so many pages I have bought my own copy!

Has anyone else read this book? It really does seem to highlight how difficult it can be to spot ASD in females and just how well we cover it all up to the outside onlookers while often falling apart in various ways out of sight or on the inside.

It really does cover every major aspect of life from birth to old age and the main issues in each stage of life.

Basically I'd recommend it as a good book to read to help self understanding or to suggest another person reads to get a clearer picture of how your life experience may be different to theirs.

Parents
  • Hi there, I just wanted to say how kind it is for you to tell others about this book and how it may help them understand their own experiences,

    i am an older Male but have studied a lot about the masking ability and females being treated wrongly by being assessed using Male protocols.

    It is very quite on here tonight so maybe not much in response now.

    I came across two studies one mostly about how well females slip through the radar so to speak, and the other discussing the ways females disguise their autism,

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5509825/

    www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.../

Reply
  • Hi there, I just wanted to say how kind it is for you to tell others about this book and how it may help them understand their own experiences,

    i am an older Male but have studied a lot about the masking ability and females being treated wrongly by being assessed using Male protocols.

    It is very quite on here tonight so maybe not much in response now.

    I came across two studies one mostly about how well females slip through the radar so to speak, and the other discussing the ways females disguise their autism,

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5509825/

    www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.../

Children
  • I also found this and although it is by no means a scientific study it is quite an interesting read and gives an insight into the various traits that can be present in females.

    Many men will find a large number of  traits within the list that they exhibit but that is not such a strange thing as autism is a broad spectrum and each individual is just that, individual. There are specific traits that present in females only,

    We all have traits we can see in others that we have ourselves. But when you  Combine these with other co existing learning difficulties like ADHD,DYSLEXIA, DiSPRAXIA, and so on it is obvious that trying to narrow down a specific stereotype  is difficult if not impossible .

    I prefer the term neurodiverse as apposed to the negative word disorder, I also believe just like other so called disorders like dyslexia, these diverse abilities have much to offer in society if only they can be accepted for the varied outlook they can bring.many dyslexic individuals are sought by GCHQ to work in their own unique way to keep this country safe, Many autistics are sought out and welcomed by the software industries as they are the ones who bring new complex and new and varied ideas to the forefront of technologie.

    Anyway just to say reading all the various thoughts and findings can only give a broader understanding of autism.and other neurodiverse capabilities out there.

    https://everydayaspie.wordpress.com/2016/05/02/females-with-aspergers-syndrome-checklist-by-samantha-craft/

    Dyslexia,

    GCHQ employs more than 100 dyslexic and dyspraxic 'neuro-diverse' spies to harness their analytical skills in the fight against terror.
    The British intelligence agency uses their ability to analyse complex information in a "dispassionate, logical and analytical" way to combat threats such as foreign espionage.
    While many people with dyslexia struggle with reading or writing, they are often extremely skilled at deciphering facts from patterns or events.T specialist Matt, 35, chairman of the dyslexic and dyspraxic support community at GCHQ, told The Sunday Times: "What people don't realise is that people with neuro diversity usually have a 'spikyskills' profile, which means that certain skill areas will be below par and others may be well above," he said.
    "My reading might be slower than some individuals and maybe my spelling is appalling, and my handwriting definitely is ... but if you look at the positive side, my 3D spacial-perception awareness and creativity is in the top 1% of my peer group."Some 120 "neuro-diverse" staff employed by the intelligence agency.
    Children are diagnosed with dyslexia for a range of reasons including those whose difficulty in reading is unexpected, those who show a discrepancy between reading and listening comprehension or pupils who do not make meaningful progress in reading even when provided with high-quality support.The NHS estimates that 4-8 per cent of all schoolchildren in England have some sort of dyslexia.
    Dyspraxia, which affects sufferers' co-ordination, is diagnosed in around one in 20 children.
    A GCHQ official said: "Neuro-diverse individuals can bring additional value to the full spectrum of roles and jobs across the department."