Women’s Equality Day is celebrated every year on August 26 to commemorate the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote. On this day, it’s also important for us to remember that a crucial aspect of equality is equal access to healthcare services. Autism is often misconstrued as a diagnosis only for young boys and men, pointing toward a gender gap that the healthcare industry should aim to bridge.

Widespread ignorance and a lack of education have led to girls and women with autism being misdiagnosed and denied the support and care they deserve. This article highlights autism symptoms in girls, why diagnosis matters, and the consequences of not diagnosing or misdiagnosing young girls and women. 

Symptoms of Autism in Girls and Women

Autism in young girls is often overlooked because their symptoms have been misinterpreted as anxiety-related or behavioral disorders or because they don’t fit into the stereotypical signs associated with autism. Most girls also learn masking behaviors very young and are better at hiding their symptoms, especially if they have high-functioning autism.

Autism in girls can look like mirroring, where they copy other people’s mannerisms, personas, and speech patterns. They could also exhibit hyper-empathy and experience periods of social withdrawal. Women and girls with autism may also be sensitive to sensory stimulations and may find excessive noise and bright lights overwhelming.

Why Does a Diagnosis Matter?

If autism goes undiagnosed in young girls for a long time, they may grow up extremely confused about why they behave differently in social situations. Being unable to pick up on social cues could put many undiagnosed autistic women and girls at greater risk of traumatic experiences. Diagnosis matters because when young girls don’t understand themselves, it could contribute to self-doubt, anxiety, and esteem issues. 

Furthermore, when autistic girls aren’t diagnosed at a young age, they miss out on early support. When they have a proper diagnosis, it’s easier to find personalized treatments that help them learn life skills. A later diagnosis, especially in adulthood, means they’ve missed critical social interventions that could have proved beneficial during their early years.

What Happens if You’re Misdiagnosed? 

Being autistic and undiagnosed can lead to a lifetime of struggles for women. Autistic women are twice as likely as autistic men to attempt suicide, especially autistic women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

They could find it challenging to form and maintain strong social relationships and be vulnerable to exploitation. When they grow into adults, their self-doubts and anxiety could be aggravated because they aren’t sure about how to navigate work culture and politics. 

If we wish to prevent future generations of girls on the spectrum from going through what autistic women have experienced in the past, we need to raise awareness on how autism presents in women and girls. Most studies on autism are male-centered and, therefore, cannot provide sufficient insight into what autism might look like in young girls and women. Healthcare professionals, social workers, and educators have a responsibility to alter their understanding of autism to be more inclusive of other genders and minority communities.

Washington Autism Alliance seeks to extend access to healthcare, education, and services for people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) & related intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in Washington State. We’re the nation’s only legal advocate for people with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities that pairs individual/family navigation with legal services regardless of ability to pay. If you’d like to learn more about what we do, visit our website, or give us a call at (425) 894-7231.