Autism/ ASD
Autistic people develop differently to non-autistic people. Autism affects how a person feels and thinks, how they interpret and interact with others, and how they experience sensory stimulation in the environment.
Every person has a different experience of autism but generally they will experience differences with:
- Socialising and communicating, including the way they connect, make and understand friendships and relationships, and use speech and body language.
- Thinking and processing, including the way they see patterns and connections, imagine and play, experience and express senses, emotions and executive functioning, and in the way their brains develop.
Autism also generally presents differently in women and girls. Autistic women and girls often camouflage their autism by imitating social skills or suppressing some of their autistic characteristics, known as “masking”. There is a historic lack of understanding of how autism presents in women and girls, ultimately leading to the under-diagnosis of autism in women and girls, and some dismissal of their experiences. Understanding how autism presents in women and girls is important to make sure that they get a timely and accurate diagnosis to support development and social and community participation.
As a first step, see your doctor. A doctor can assess your symptoms and write you a referral for a diagnosis from a psychiatrist, paediatrician or multi-disciplinary team.
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