Autism in women - it’s not what you think

Have you looked at job ads recently? Have you noticed the kind skills and attributes that they tend to list? Things like:

-Ability to learn quickly

-Think problems through logically and come up with creative solutions

-Honest and direct communication

-Be detail oriented

-Be reliable and punctual

-Be passionate

Sounds like a great candidate for most roles, right? You know what this also sounds like? Someone who is autistic.

Yep.

You’d be forgiven for being surprised. Unfortunately, we live a world that is focused on people’s short comings. We love to talk about all the things that are “wrong” with people and come up with “treatments” and “interventions” to “rid” them of their “ailments”…or worse, cover them up! If neither of those options work, we cast them aside and frame their difference as a “them problem”. And this is what happens to autistic people, they are a problem to be solved…or ignored and left to try to fit into a world that seems determined to work against them.

What we now know is that there are many of different neurotypes (aka all brains are physically different and therefore work differently). Autism, ADHD and neurotypical are just three of many different neurotypes. As such, it stands to reason that, in a world that has been built on a foundation of neurotypical social norms and structures, autistic people are not “problems” that need to be “fixed”.

In fact, if you look at job ads on Seek, you’ll probably find that a lot of the skills qualities employers are looking for are autistic ones. Go figure!

Am I Autistic?

So the question remains, have you ever wondered ‘am I autistic?’

Maybe your child has been diagnosed, you are thinking to yourself: “Gosh! I related a lot to what my child experiences and/or who they are.” Or, “I remember being/feeling like that when I was that age.” Or, “I’m surprised they are autistic. They aren’t all that different to me, or other people/kids I know.”

Here is the thing, we know that there is a strong genetic relationship with neurodivergence, which means if your kiddo is autistic, it is likely to be genetic. What we also know from social psychology is that like-minded people tend to enjoy company of each other. As such, autistic people are likely to hang out with other autistic people. So if you are thinking that you are not so different from your child or that you and your child are not so different from others in your social circle, you might find that you are autistic.

Quick Facts!

Let’s get into some quick facts:  

In Australia, it is estimated that 1 in 100 people will be autistic.

Currently, males are 3.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than females.

Interesting stats right? You might be asking ‘why is that?’ Good question! Are men more likely to be autistic than women?….Actually, no, we don’t think so. It is far more likely that women are more likely to go unidentified.

Why are women less like to be identified as autistic?

There are a few theories that might explain why more boys and men have a diagnosis of autism than girls and women. Including:

-The way that autism is diagnosed is biased towards the ‘conventional’ (male) features, and needs to be modified to be more appropriate for women and girls.

-Autism in women and girls is ‘overshadowed’ by a mental health (mis)diagnosis (e.g. anxiety, depression, OCD, Borderline Personality Disorder, eating disorders).

-Quietness or shyness in a girl is considered ‘normal’ due to stereotypical social expectations of females.

-Autistic females are more socially motivated to engage with peers leading to a missed diagnosis.

-Women and girls who are autistic are better able to camouflage or mask their challenges through social imitation which results in them not receiving a diagnosis.

-Some autistic individuals, particularly adults, are likely to have neurodivergent friends (whether they realise or not) who share similar experiences, traits and preferences, which might result in the person not realising that they way their brain works is different to someone who is neurotypical. When they discover they are autistic, the person might be thinking - ‘I thought everybody was like that!’

Mini Self Appraisal

-Think you might be autistic? Try answering some of these questions:

-Are you passionate about particular topics? 

-Do you find yourself figuring or moving your body often?

-Are you an honest or “direct” communicator?

-Do you prefer skipping small talk and talking about ‘deep’ topics or topics of interest?

-Are you able to learn information quickly and remember it?

-Do you experience hyper-empathy and feel moved by other peoples emotions and experiences? 

-Do you remember learning to read at a very early age?

-Would you describe yourself as a logical thinker and possibly enjoy science, engineering and maths based activities?

-Are you precise and detail oriented?

-Do others consider you reliable?

-Do you have a strong appreciation for the function of rules or justice?

Have you answered ‘yes’ to a number of the questions above? This might be a sign that you are autistic! However, keep in mind, all autistic people are different and not all of these may apply. Something else to keep in mind is that autism and ADHD often occur together and can camouflage some of one another’s common attributes.

 

Special Offer for Mamalaide Mums!

Say Hooray is pleased to offer neurodiversity affirming autism assessment for women and AFAB people. We are offering an exclusive offer to Mamalaide Mums - 10% off Autism Assessments for the month of February 2023! To claim your discount quote “Mamalaide” when we call you to book your interview!*

You can choose from our 3 Assessment options below:

 

1) Verbal feedback only - Exclusive Mamalaide Price of $675 (valued at $750!)

This option includes verbal feedback only. No written summary/report or letter is given.

2) Personal Profile  - Exclusive Mamalaide Price of $810 (valued at $900!)

This option includes a 1 page written Personal Profile as well as a concise letter with confirmation of diagnosis, if you’re found to be autistic.

3) Report - Exclusive Mamalaide Price of $1,350 (valued at $1,500!)

This option includes a more detailed written summary and a separate accomodations in the workplace/study environment letter, as well as a separate concise letter with confirmation of diagnosis, if you’re found to be autistic.

All assessment options include:

-Autism questionnaires

-Up to 2 hour interview using MIGDAS-2 interview tool

-Verbal feedback

For more information, please visit: https://www.sayhooray.com.au/autismassessmentsforwomen or call us on (08) 8353 5543 or email autismassessments@sayhooray.com.au

To book your spot, complete our Self Referral Form: https://www.sayhooray.com.au/self-referral 

*Subject to Terms and Conditions

Say Hooray