There's a misconception out there that autism affects more boys than girls - almost five times as many, according to some reports.
However, newer research is supporting a theory that many people in the autistic community are already familiar with - despite updates to the current diagnostic methods, autistic girls are still being overlooked.
The stereotypical idea of what autism looks like is pretty simple: a non-verbal boy who loves trains and excels at math and science.
Many people seem to think all autistic people share the exact same characteristics and traits, but the truth is, autistic people are just as unique and varied as neurotypicals - they just share a specific set of diagnostic criteria.
Criteria which, as current research reveals, may be creating an epidemic of undiagnosed autistic women. Because most of the methods were developed around autistic boys, consideration wasn't given to how autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) might manifest in girls.
And now, we're hearing more and more stories of women finally receiving a diagnosis later in life, after 20 or 30 or 40 years of wondering why they didn't seem to fit in with the rest of society.
These biased diagnostic methods aren't entirely to blame, though - research also shows the way autism presents in girls makes it more difficult to notice.
Often, girls will be diagnosed with something else, like anorexia or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Or, they'll just be labelled as shy, drama queens or nerds.
According to preliminary neuroimaging and behavioural studies, researchers have learned autistic girls develop more similarly to neurotypical males - sharing more of the same kinds of social abilities than they share with neurotypical girls or autistic boys. These findings might provide a solid framework for a review of the diagnostic criteria, to help develop a better way of identifying ASDs in children.
But not to cure them, or to inflict behavioural therapies on them to force them to conform to the demands of a neurotypical society. Instead, an accurate early diagnosis can help autistic kids grow up with a stronger sense of identity - knowing who they are and what they're good at, so they can work with their strengths to develop lasting relationships and succeed academically.
They'll also understand what their struggles are, so they can learn how to recognize symptoms of social and sensory overstimulation and master effective techniques to deal with them.
And maybe, we'll all become more accepting. If we see how many autistic people, both men and women, are providing valuable contributions to our society each day, maybe we'll be able to overlook what our differences are and start appreciating individuals for the unique gifts they have to offer.
- Jessi Gowan is a reporter with Rocky View Weekly, a Great West newspaper
"An accurate early diagnosis can help autistic kids grow up with a stronger sense of identity - knowing who they are and what they're good at, so they can work with their strengths to develop lasting relationships and succeed academically."
