M in The Middle - Autistic teens relate experiences in novel

Post Reply New Topic

According to the NAS 2012 survey of 8,000 people with autism, just 8% of girls with Asperger syndrome were diagnosed before six years old, compared with 25% of boys. Only 21% of girls with Asperger’s were diagnosed by the age of 11, compared with 52% of boys. Many adult women who took part in the survey didn’t have a diagnosis at all: 10% compared with 5% of males.

The NAS survey suggests that 42% of females have been misdiagnosed, compared with 30% of males. Many women remain undiagnosed well into late adulthood until they self-diagnose: females in the NAS survey were more likely to have paid for their diagnosis (14% of females, compared with 9% of males).

But momentum for change is starting to gather pace: in January, the National Association of Headteachers is holding a girls on the autism spectrum conference to prepare a call for action on the issue.

Before that, on 8 November, there is a private House of Lords round table organised by the autism and girls forum – itself set up just 18 months ago.