Gold Coast, Australia — A study conducted by researchers from the Centre for Autism Spectrum Disorder at the Bond University in Queensland, Australia suggests that autism in girls may be just as prevalent as it is in boys.
According to the researchers, the way girls cope with autism make the developmental disorder appear more subtle, but it is highly likely that they could be just as affected by ASD as the boys are.
Centre for Autism Spectrum Disorder Director Vicki Bitsika told that on the surface, girls seem to be more confident in social situations and more self-contained, resulting in them being “less likely to engage in larger behaviors that indicate they might be in difficulty.”
Bitsika says the coping mechanism seen in girls may only work up to a certain point. After which, it could be harmful.”Even if they look like they’re coping, which a lot of the time they are, they are also highly anxious, highly confused and quite distressed about their social environment.”
She further ads that many girls develop, “eating disorders, atypical eating patterns and some reports of self-injurious behavior.”
Bitsika and her team are still currently conducting further studies on the matter.
Source: Natalie Bochenski on the Brisbane Times: Girls with autism spectrum disorder may be suffering in silence