News Flash: The August edition of The Autism Blogcast, featuring autism experts and guest commentators Sara Webb, PhD and Karen Barnes,PhD.
In this month’s Blogcast, our news women discuss diagnosis and prevalence of females with autism.
News Flash: The August edition of The Autism Blogcast, featuring autism experts and guest commentators Sara Webb, PhD and Karen Barnes,PhD.
In this month’s Blogcast, our news women discuss diagnosis and prevalence of females with autism.
Thank you for this blogcast about girls with autism! My daughter didn’t get diagnosed with ASD until age 12, although I knew something was off as early as preschool, many people brushed her off as shy and bad behavior. She got diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder and ADD, but when she had her second exam by a neurologist as a teen, they said she did not have ADD, but rather it was auditory processing disorder that made her present as if she had ADD. It’s been a long and frustrating road, and because of her slower processing speed, school has been a challenge to say the least. She ended up dropping out of school in high school despite having an IEP and trying another, smaller high school…nothing helped. She is now almost 21. We just moved back to Washington state, and I was wondering if there were any studies for girls with autism at UW or Childrens Hospital for young adult girls?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks for your question and comments. For resources with women with ASD, there aren’t many directed specifically to this group. We will have an Autism 200 series event on (Sept 20th) (https://theautismblog.seattlechildrens.org/announcing-the-autism-200-series-for-2018/). For research, you can follow up with the SPARK program (www.SPARKforAutism.org/UW) or call the Seattle Children’s Autism Research Registry (206-987-7917).
There books that are available that directly address women and girls with ASD that may be a helpful resource.
Books for Young Adults
Aspergirls: Empowering females with Asperger Syndrome, Rudy Simone, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
The Girl Project, Kate Engelbrecht, Universe, – a book of images and thoughts for discussion
Safety Skills for Asperger Women: How to save a perfectly good female life, Liane Holliday Willey, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Asperger Love: Searching for love when you’re not wired to connect, Amy Harmon, New York Times
Books for parents
Girls growing up on the autism spectrum: What parents and professionals should know about the pre-teen and teenage years, Shana Nicols, Liane Holliday Wiley, Ginamarie Moravcik, Samara Pulver-Tetenbaum, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Parenting girls on the autism spectrum: Overcoming the challenges and celebrating the gifts, Eileen Riley-Hall & Shana Nicols, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Aspergirls, Rudy Simone, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
For local resources for adults with ASD, check out the ABALC (http://www.seattlechildrens.org/contact/alyssa-burnett-adult-life-center/), the UW Adult Autism Center (https://www.uwmedicine.org/locations/adult-autism), the Next Steps classes (for parents and caregivers of individuals with ASD 15 to 21 years) or the Seattle Children’s Autism 200 archives (http://www.seattlechildrens.org/classes-community/current-class-offerings/autism-200-series/#resources). Our general on-line resources suggestions can be found here (http://www.seattlechildrens.org/clinics-programs/autism-center/resources/)
If your daughter is a UW student (or considering it), check out the MOSSAIC program at UW (http://depts.washington.edu/uwdrs/mossaic/). The UW is also sponsoring Project SEARCH focused on job internships (https://www.washington.edu/news/2018/04/04/differences-can-be-a-part-of-their-skills-pilot-program-at-uw-offers-on-the-job-training-for-young-adults-with-autism/).
Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us. Your compassion and commitment to treating patients with autism shines through in all you do at Seattle Children’s and for the field of behavioral health.