Dermographics

3 times as many males as females are diagnosed with autism.

There are multiple theories about this, including a range of biological and environmental factors which may mean men and boys have a higher prevalence of autism. However, it is also felt that women and girls may be better at masking or camouflaging their difficulties and that autistic traits in girls and women can look quite different. This may mean that autism is under-reported and therefore under-diagnosed in females.

There is some evidence that rates of autism are higher in gender-diverse people, but the reasons why are unknown [2].

Blue_Stream_Academy_Module_Information_(Autism_Awareness_Tier_2).pdf

DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder

• Multiple, persistent deficits in social communication & interactions currently or by history involving:
  • Social-emotional reciprocity
  • Nonverbal communicative behaviors
  • Developing, maintaining & understanding relationships
• Restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior currently or by history:
  • Repetitive motor movements
  • Insistence on sameness or inflexible adherence to routines
  • Fixated interests of abnormal intensity or focus
  • Adverse responses to sensory input
• Symptoms occur in the early developmental period & cause impairment
• Not better explained exclusively by intellectual disability or another condition

Characteristics

• not responsive to their name or the sound of familiar voices
• frequent repetition of words and phrases
• communication using single words, rarely using sentences
• flat or monotonous speech
• shows little interest in socialising or interaction, particularly with other children
• repetitive behaviours such as hand flapping, or rocking back and forth (this is more commonly known as self-stimulatory behaviour or ‘stimming’)
• likes and dislikes certain foods based on their texture and/or colour
• abnormal posture and unusual ways of moving, such as walking on tiptoes