Autismin girls may look different than in boys.Sometimes, caregivers and even healthcare providers may doubt that a female child is autistic because they do not show traits typically associated with autism. This is because these traits were largely based on research focused on boys.
Autism traits common in females, particularly those with low support needs, include:
It’s true that autism traits in girls and women are not always the same as those identified in boys and men.This means that females may not get an autism diagnosis until much later in life—if ever.
This article will go over how autism is different in girls. You’ll learn about autism traits in girls and women, as well as how the differences in autism between girls and boys can delay diagnosis.
A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.Sex refers to biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. People are most often assigned male or female at birth based on their external anatomy; some people do not fit into that sex binary and are intersex.Gender describes a person’s internal sense of self as a woman, man, nonbinary person, or another gender, and the associated social and cultural ideas about roles, behaviors, expressions, and characteristics.Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way. Terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate. To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.Sex refers to biology: chromosomal makeup, hormones, and anatomy. People are most often assigned male or female at birth based on their external anatomy; some people do not fit into that sex binary and are intersex.Gender describes a person’s internal sense of self as a woman, man, nonbinary person, or another gender, and the associated social and cultural ideas about roles, behaviors, expressions, and characteristics.Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way. Terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate. To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and gender are related concepts, but they are not the same.
Research studies sometimes don’t use the terminology in this way. Terms that describe gender (“woman,” “man”) may be used when terms for sex (“female,” “male”) are more appropriate. To reflect our sources accurately, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) in Autism
Autism Traits in Girls
No single trait can define an autism diagnosis, regardless of a person’s sex at birth or gender identity. Yet there are some characteristics of autism that can help providers make the diagnosis.
That said, autistic girls may not show some of the “classic” traits that are more often seen in boys. Sometimes, girls learn how tomask autistic traitsor overcompensate for them, in order to appear more neurotypical (or seemingly “normal”) to others.
Whether you are female and think you might be autistic or you are caring for a child who may be living with anautism spectrum disorder(ASD) there are some experiences that are shared and resonate with many autistic girls and women.
The Spectrum of Autism Traits
An autistic girl may:
What Is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder?
Some autism traits can be perceived as being part of a young girl’s personality, or just “quirks” in how she connects with others.
In fact, these can be subtle but missed traits in autistic girls:
Diagnosing Autism in Girls vs. Boys
There is also some research to suggest that autistic girls may not identify as readily with conventional gender norms and have higher rates of gender variance. For example, they may not identify as female or may be more likely to feel negatively about their assigned gender group.However, more research is needed.
The Link Between Seizures and Autism
Why Autistic Girls Go Undiagnosed
Some girls have clear traits of autism, likeself-stimulating behaviors(stims) or extreme speech and language difficulty.
If challenges with social communication or cognitive tasks are obvious, girls are usually referred for help and diagnosed at a young age. However, for girls with subtle traits and those who have learned to mask, autism may not be diagnosed—or even discussed—until they are pre-teens, teens, or adults.
Cultural beliefs (and misbeliefs) also contribute to missed autism diagnoses. Many girls are expected to behave in quieter and less assertive ways than boys. A girl who seems shy and withdrawn might be seen as “feminine,” while a boy with the same characteristics would get intervention because they are not exhibiting more outward “boy” behavior.
Similarly, a girl who often seems lost in thought may be called a “dreamer” in a positive way, but the same behaviors might be viewed as disruptive in boys and, again, would lead to intervention.
Healthcare providers and mental health professionals can miss autism in girls, too. The diagnostic criteria for ASD were put together based on available research, which has long been primarily focused on boys and men.
Strides are being made to help make the criteria more inclusive for autistic people who are not male, but there is still a long way to go.
If you are not sure if your child is autistic, but you have noticed some traits associated with autism, talk to your pediatrician and look into what resources are available at your child’s school. Regardless of birth sex or gender identity, every autistic child benefits from atreatment planthat is tailored to their needs.
Study Explores Why Autism is Different in Girls and Boys
Summary
Autistic girls and women may not get diagnosed as early as boys and men—if they are diagnosed at all. The “classic” autism traits do not always show up in girls, and some girls learn how to cover up their autistic traits at a young age.
There are many factors that contribute to the missed and misdiagnosed autism in girls, and some of them have to do with cultural expectations. Not only does this make it harder for autistic girls to get diagnosed, but it also means they go longer without the support they need to thrive.
A Word From Verywell
—NICHOLAS R. METRUS, MD, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Frequently Asked QuestionsAutism is diagnosed more often in boys because they tend to show more of the “classic” traits. While autism is recognized more easily in boys and men, it does not necessarily mean that girls and women are less likely to be autistic.Autistic girls and women may not show all the “typical” traits that boys and men do. In many cases, autistic girls do experience these traits but learn how to cover them up or overcompensate for them early in life. While this might help them “blend in,” it also makes it harder for them to get diagnosed.It’s not uncommon for an adult woman to learn she is autistic. She may look back at her childhood and teen years and realize that certain “quirks” or experiences that she had were clearly autistic traits. As she became a teen and young adult, she may have sought help from healthcare providers only to be diagnosed with another mental health condition (or even a physical medical condition) rather than autism.Treatment and support for autism should be tailored to each individual. That said, an autistic girl can benefit from many of the same treatments that an autistic boy would, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Autism is diagnosed more often in boys because they tend to show more of the “classic” traits. While autism is recognized more easily in boys and men, it does not necessarily mean that girls and women are less likely to be autistic.
Autistic girls and women may not show all the “typical” traits that boys and men do. In many cases, autistic girls do experience these traits but learn how to cover them up or overcompensate for them early in life. While this might help them “blend in,” it also makes it harder for them to get diagnosed.
It’s not uncommon for an adult woman to learn she is autistic. She may look back at her childhood and teen years and realize that certain “quirks” or experiences that she had were clearly autistic traits. As she became a teen and young adult, she may have sought help from healthcare providers only to be diagnosed with another mental health condition (or even a physical medical condition) rather than autism.
Treatment and support for autism should be tailored to each individual. That said, an autistic girl can benefit from many of the same treatments that an autistic boy would, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy.
Autism in Women
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Dworzynski K, Ronald A, Bolton P, Happé F.How different are girls and boys above and below the diagnostic threshold for autism spectrum disorders?Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2012;51(8):788-797. doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2012.05.018
Werling DM, Geschwind DH.Sex differences in autism spectrum disorders.Curr Opin Neurol.2013;26(2):146-53. doi:10.1097/WCO.0b013e32835ee548
Interactive Autism Network at Kennedy Krieger Institute.Not just for boys: When autism spectrum disorders affect girls.
Child Mind Institute.Why are kids different at home and at school?
Navot N, Jorgenson AG, Webb SJ.Maternal experience raising girls with autism spectrum disorder: a qualitative study.Child Care Health Dev.2017;43(4):536-545. doi:10.1111/cch.12470
El Achkar CM, Spence SJ.Clinical characteristics of children and young adults with co-occurring autism spectrum disorder and epilepsy.Epilepsy Behav. 2015;47:183-190. doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2014.12.022
Cooper K, Smith LGE, Russell AJ.Gender identity in autism: sex differences in social affiliation with gender groups.J Autism Dev Disord. 2018;48(12):3995-4006. doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3590-1
Green RM, Travers AM, Howe Y, Mcdougle CJ.Women and autism spectrum disorder: diagnosis and implications for treatment of adolescents and adults.Curr Psychiatry Rep.2019;21(4):22. doi:10.1007/s11920-019-1006-3
Child Mind Institute.Why many autistic girls are overlooked.
Autism Network.Autism in women and girls.
Simmons University.Interventions for girls and women on the autism spectrum.
Scientific American.Autism—it’s different in girls.
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