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Are females underdiagnosed?

piggy1401

Hi everyone. I sometimes think about something and then can’t get it off my mind... this has been on my mind for the last week.  

People often say that females are underdiagnosed with autism or that they get a later diagnosis than males, what’s everyone’s opinion on that? Is it true? And if so why do you think it is?

Parents

  • I think it's true.  I personally was hiding in plain sight!

    I don't think that autism is gendered but I do think that, although the definitions of autism have been changing, they are still influenced by some of the earliest studies which focussed mainly on young males.  This stereotyping in the diagnostic processes and criteria has, I believe, led to a massive under-identification of autistic females.  Baron-Cohen's idea of the "extreme male brain" did nothing to help either. 

    And so we have some rather strange ratios of male:female.  Females also seem to be somehow blamed for "camouflaging" and making things difficult for diagnosticians whereas in fact those diagnosticians got things wrong.  And some of them are still doing it.  To my mind, and, especially given the largely hereditary nature of autism, the ratio is likely to be 1:1, and even that ignores any consideration of LGBTQIA+ issues.     

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  • I think it's true.  I personally was hiding in plain sight!

    I don't think that autism is gendered but I do think that, although the definitions of autism have been changing, they are still influenced by some of the earliest studies which focussed mainly on young males.  This stereotyping in the diagnostic processes and criteria has, I believe, led to a massive under-identification of autistic females.  Baron-Cohen's idea of the "extreme male brain" did nothing to help either. 

    And so we have some rather strange ratios of male:female.  Females also seem to be somehow blamed for "camouflaging" and making things difficult for diagnosticians whereas in fact those diagnosticians got things wrong.  And some of them are still doing it.  To my mind, and, especially given the largely hereditary nature of autism, the ratio is likely to be 1:1, and even that ignores any consideration of LGBTQIA+ issues.     

Children
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