Autism in Pink

And over the years, the high functioning variety, like Aspergers, has been described as the extreme male brain.

Boys with the diagnosis outnumber girls by 15 to one and an early diagnosis enables him to spend his time relaxing at home with his Lego, shunning social contact, securing school support before finding a lovely place at university.

His quirks are accepted - society doesn't blink at the male reluctance for emotional engagement- and he can get away with his eccentricities.

Girls on the other hand may struggle with school, feeling different and knowing the world isn't built for them, spending time on the periphery of friendship circles and having to use their intellect to imitate the actions of others.

Many dislike fantasy, pouring over encyclopaedia's instead of fairy tales and preferring big baggy cotton clothes instead of princess dresses.

And please don't get me started on sock problems or skirts.

Girls are forced to be sociable, its society's expectation isn't it? And mostly they mask their overwhelming feelings in school and at other social engagements, often saving the meltdown for home.

In the story of autism, girls have been neglected.

And for some bizarre reason that I cannot even begin to fathom, many teachers will try and pinpoint behavioural issues to environmental factors.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course, but teachers are trained to spot the signs of autism.

Yet even the classic signs, not starting or maintaining conversation, tearfulness or anger, asking complicated questions, being very literal, unable to read facial expressions or body language, friendship struggles, lack of organisational skills, creativity, being a stickler for routine (the list goes on and on) are very often missed.

By the time a diagnosis is eventually picked up in girls, they are navigating teenage years and the by then very often, the girl is already depressed and distressed.

Ignorance about the condition in the female sex extends to professionals, adding to the distress it causes.

Research suggests that even when girls are screened autistic traits are not picked up.

Now a growing number of adult women are coming forward, having recognised themselves in autistic characters on television or in print.

Often they are relieved to discover why they are "different". The explanation for their delayed diagnosis, is that girls tend to be better at masking the condition.

They are better with language, more advanced than boys, less disruptive and better able to compensate for their problems.

An early diagnosis for autism in girls in crucial, Trust me. So if you think for one possible tiny second that hormones may not be the explanation for meltdowns, or that she is over sensitive to light, smell, touch, sound or that she spends hours lining up her toys, just Google Autism in Pink.

Meanwhile if there is anyone out there who has set up a support group in the Forest, the nearest one is Eastleigh, email me at karen.bate@salisburyjournal.co.uk.Thanks.

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