Aspergers in Girls

Aspergers in girls is can be very difficult to detect. The condition is similar to autism, with relatively mild symptoms, and the signs of AS are differ according to individual personality traits as well as gender.

Asperger Syndrome Details

The major obstacle girls with Asperger's syndrome may face is getting proper diagnosis. Emotional processing is inherently different in male and females. Boys with AS may tend to display aggression and frustration, bringing attention to a possible problem. Females, on the other hand, are less prone to act out.

Neurotypical peers and adults often tend to treat females differently as well. Young female children are often nurturing by nature, and may be less likely to bully a classmate. Girls are more likely to guide their friends, offering comfort and support. Boys may tend to be less nurturing, often targeting male AS students.

Without the behaviors commonly associated with AS, the condition can go undiagnosed, but this does not mean that it is undetectable. Girls with Asperger's syndrome have the same difficulties with sensory processing and social navigation as boys. In addition, females have telltale intense focus on a particular subject of interest.

The difficulty getting proper diagnosis is that the symptoms of AS are internal, involving processing differences that manifest differently in girls. Following a checklist for Aspergers may not always bring the condition to light because of the female may not demonstrate the internal difference; they do not manifest behaviorally.

Symptoms of Aspergers in girls include:

• Routine
  • Intense focus on a particular subject
  • Appears anxious when there are changes in routine
  • Practices rituals that appear to have no function
  • Resists change

• Physical
  • Odd posturing
  • Difficulty coordinating movements
  • Repetitive movements (stims)

• Sensory processing
  • Strong aversion to certain smells
  • Resists activities that involve movement (slides, escalators…)
  • Seeks out sensory experiences (spinning, rocking…)
  • Dislikes textures in foods, clothes or objects
  • No response or extreme response to noises

• Social difficulties
  • Appears excessively shy
  • Avoids interacting with others
  • Appears uncomfortable during conversation
  • Tends to mimic rather than providing natural responses
  • Hesitant to make the first move
  • Tends to "blend" into the crowd
  • "Scripts" daily conversations

The social difficulties can be very tricky because females with Asperger's syndrome often learn how to "script" social interactions. Excellent memory skills and adherence to routine make them outstanding actors who can mask appropriate social interaction. Signs that a child is scripting social interaction include:

• Patterned speech that may seem unnatural
• Odd inflection that occurs repeatedly
• Tendency to use the same script every day
• Difficulty dealing with unexpected responses
• Adding responses into the script

A scripted conversation may appear slightly unusual or it can be readily apparent. The patterns can be difficult to detect but a telltale sign is the individual's tendency to seek the same reciprocation repeatedly. Sometimes this leads to answering her own question.

"Everyone get in line? Let's get in line." (The student may mimic the way the teacher talks when saying, "Let's get in line.") "Are you okay? Yes I'm okay."

Young girls with Aspergers may have endearing ways of scripting social interaction that, while cute, can be signs of social processing difficulties. A toddler may say:

"Sally go to the store? Okay, I go to the store."

Often, the child imitates the phrases as well as the adult's inflection. This is a form of echolalia that helps some kids to build expectations and to calm themselves during stressful times.

Diagnosis is often difficult because many of the qualities of AS are very endearing. The girls are quiet, reserved, and very intelligent. They are masters with order and routine and they are often better able to express emotions than their male counterparts are. The Newsweek article, More than Just Quirky notes that many girls on the spectrum go undiagnosed, leading to distress due to their desire to interact with others paired with the inability to measure the thoughts, feelings, and intentions of other people.

Sadly, little research has been conducted on the differences between boys and girls with AS. Sharon daVanport from the Asperger Women Association offers great insight into Aspergers in girls, as a woman with AS.

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