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Autism and girls signs poster

freestyle

Hi,

I've put together a printable poster listing frequently overlooked signifiers of high functioning autisms in girls, who have a tendency to mask their symptoms. 

Is any one willing and able to print and display it to get the message out there?

I was inspired to make this poster and get one of the UK's top child autism experts, prof David Skuse, to endorse it, because of my frustration and concern that autistic girls are being refused life enhancing diagnoses because diagnosticians are looking out for male autistic traits.

I was diagnosed with autism just over a year ago and "female autistic" is the first box I've perfectly fitted.  We are now battling to get our daughter diagnosed.  There is evidence that early diagnosis and support can permanantly enhance lives.  I know i'd have had a happier and more producytive life if I'd been diagnosed as a child.

Here's the printable poster link: www.lilystyle.co.uk/.../ (it is quite a big file size as I made it print quality)autism and girls poster

Parents

  • Thanks for your positive comments, Electra.  I just wrote a long reply which wiped when I tried to submit it coz I wasn't logged in (boo!)

    Re your Q about 'reducing impact of autism"

    1) There's evidence, including what Prof David Skuse has personally experienced in clinic and my own experience growing up undiagnosed, that autistic girls (often) are drawn to fit in social, but keep failing and feel there's something wrong with them, which can  according to Prof David Atkins, cause such stress that it leads to borderline personality disorder at adulthood.  i had this, but cured myself.  I didn't used to believe in inherent gender differences, but it seems there are (though some women have male brains and vice versa) and it was this (www.autismhelp.info/.../) autism and girls checklist atht lead me to seek my own diagnosis.

    2) According to David Skuse, once diagnosed, autistic girls develop a more positive self-image and often come to see their diagnosis as making them special.

    3) Intense world theory suggests early emotional trauma and stress exaceerbates autistic neural development (whatever this is) and I'm not saying I think I or anyone else who is autistic would be better off neurotypical, but at the same time, I wish I didn't have social-blindness and all the autistically common medical sensitivities/chronic conditions I have...

    Does this clarify?

Reply

  • Thanks for your positive comments, Electra.  I just wrote a long reply which wiped when I tried to submit it coz I wasn't logged in (boo!)

    Re your Q about 'reducing impact of autism"

    1) There's evidence, including what Prof David Skuse has personally experienced in clinic and my own experience growing up undiagnosed, that autistic girls (often) are drawn to fit in social, but keep failing and feel there's something wrong with them, which can  according to Prof David Atkins, cause such stress that it leads to borderline personality disorder at adulthood.  i had this, but cured myself.  I didn't used to believe in inherent gender differences, but it seems there are (though some women have male brains and vice versa) and it was this (www.autismhelp.info/.../) autism and girls checklist atht lead me to seek my own diagnosis.

    2) According to David Skuse, once diagnosed, autistic girls develop a more positive self-image and often come to see their diagnosis as making them special.

    3) Intense world theory suggests early emotional trauma and stress exaceerbates autistic neural development (whatever this is) and I'm not saying I think I or anyone else who is autistic would be better off neurotypical, but at the same time, I wish I didn't have social-blindness and all the autistically common medical sensitivities/chronic conditions I have...

    Does this clarify?

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