The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

Girls with autism have brains that function differently than most, even differently than boys' brains on the spectrum; however, they are often wired similarly to one another. They have intense feelings, deep loyalty, a strong sense of justice, compassion for those who are left out or left behind, and confusion about how they are misunderstood so often. When doctors, parents, teachers, and therapists describe "typical" spectrum kids, they're describing male spectrum traits--patterns first noticed by observing boys. Females just don't seem to match the description. Therefore, girls are missing out on the support and services they so desperately need. Girls on the spectrum also work at masking their differences in order to survive in a confusing world which produces an abundance of anxiety. Doctors are also more apt to label their struggles Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, or Anorexia. Sadly, most researchers refer to girls on the spectrum as "The Invisible Girls" or "The Lost Girls."

Doctors, parents, teachers, and therapists need to be aware of the traits in which autism manifests in girls. If diagnosed at all, girls' diagnoses of autism usually come much later than boy's diagnoses. The presenter's daughter was blessed to be diagnosed at the young age of eighteen months. Now, a decade later, the presenter is privy to have her daughter in two of her classes--more traits have been revealed. Anecdotes will uncover the essence of the traits in order for the audience to make immediate applications of each trait.

Girls on the spectrum also present with certain social/emotional gaffes that lead to self-sabotage if not individually acknowledged and managed in a supportive way. These hard-wired pitfalls will be recognized and tools will be shared for redirection. A few of the numerous behaviors shared will be: compliments given to others aren't insults to you, everything is hard before it becomes easy, peers don't like to be constantly corrected, unless danger--never correct an adult figure, for other people to listen to you--you must also listen to them, personal hygiene is a nonnegotiable whether you believe so or not, do not make a level 1 emergency a level 10 emergency, sometimes we just have to let it go, comparison steals joy, lists help to organize what others deem is important, and filter what needs to be said with that which doesn't.

Lastly, let's help every girl on the spectrum embrace their very core being while also redirecting some of their own self-sabotage. Albeit, stretch these girls too far, and their spirit will break. They will feel more defeated than their autism already makes them feel. Author Paul Collins wrote, "It's like hammering a square peg in a round hole. It's not that the hammering is hard work. It's that you're destroying the peg." Let's not diminish or destroy our kids' self-confidence. Temple Grandin has said that we should be teaching kids with autism to adapt to the social world around them while still retaining who they are, including their autism. Advocate for girls!