Behind the Mask: Autism for Women and Girls

As a woman with autism, Kate will talk about the gender discrepancy in autism diagnoses. Women and girls often display completely different behaviors than what neurotypical people have been taught to associate with autism, which affects when and how (and if) they are diagnosed. Autism being diagnosed at a younger age leads to a higher chance of that child receiving evidence-based treatment, which can help with better life outcomes. This discrepancy is why Kate wants to encourage more research be done on symptoms of autism in women and girls so that they can be more easily and accurately diagnosed in the future.