Samaher Saif Al Yazal
Osama Madbouly, the expert and consultant in special education, said: “It has always been believed that autism is a disturbance that mainly affects males, but recent research has brought about a fundamental shift in this concept, as it has proven that women and girls can also be with autism, but their cases are often diagnosed incorrectly or late, and this is due to the accurate differences in the way they appear, as well as social factors, as well as social factors, as well as social factors, as well as social factors, as well as social factors. And complex biological. ”
He added: «Global studies and statistics indicate that the percentage of unification among males is much higher among females, at a rate of four males for each one female. This questioning gap does not necessarily mean that females are less likely to be injured, but rather it is believed to be partly due to the difficulty of discovering autism in females or their superior ability to “camouflage” or hide the different social methods. This ability to camouflage, although it helps them social integration, but it comes at the expense of their psychological health and self -esteem, which leads to higher levels of anxiety and depression. Failure to obtain the correct diagnosis let them suffer silently, which increases their suffering and difficulties in daily life, and it may lead to a high suicide rate among women with non -diagrams. Therefore, understanding these differences and accurate diagnosis has a vital role in enabling these women to obtain the support and resources they need to achieve a better life. ”
He stressed that «autism in women represents an important aspect that requires more awareness, understanding and research. By highlighting these accurate differences, we can take wide steps towards better diagnosis and more effective support for women and girls with autism, enabling them to achieve their full potential and live a decent and sick life. Understanding autism as a wide range of experiences, not as one case, is crucial to improving the quality of the life of all those with it. ”
On the main signs of autism in women and girls, Madbouly said: Symptoms of autism in women and girls may appear in different ways than men, often less clear or incorrectly interpreted, making the diagnostic process more complicated. Among the most prominent signs that may indicate autism:
Social difficulties: Despite their desire to communicate, women with autism may find it difficult to understand and respond to non -verbal social signals. They may prefer to interact with one person to attend the large gatherings that make them feel tired, and they suffer from high social concern.
Sens sensitivity: Many women with autism are very sensitive to sensory stimuli such as high sounds, bright lights, strong odors or touching some fabrics. This sensitivity may go beyond mere hatred to reach the inability to tolerate it at all, which affects their ability to be present in certain places or sleep comfortably.
Executive job problems: Many women face difficulty in organizing daily tasks, flexible thinking, and self -control. This may include difficulty in keeping home clean, adhering to healthy habits or completing simple routine tasks.
-Specialized and specialized interests: Women with autism tend to have deep and specialized interests in certain areas. These interests may focus on topics such as psychology, understanding the human brain, or extreme preoccupation with certain relationships (famous personalities, emotional partners). Many of them are highly qualified researchers and are attracted to professions or hobbies that require a high level of focus.
-Emotional collapses and the difficulty of controlling feelings: Many women with autism suffer from difficulty in organizing their feelings, which leads to severe emotional reactions that are not proportional to the situation, such as bouts of anger, severe crying or complete withdrawal. This is often attributed to weak communication between emotional and logical centers in the brain.
Sleeping difficulties: Sleep problems are spread among women with autism, and are often associated with the sensitivity of their senses, such as high allergy to noise at night and the difficulty of feeling comfortable, especially when another person is in the room.
-The difficulties of visual communication: Although women may learn to force themselves to visual communication over time to appear natural, this communication may remain uncomfortable and unnatural for them.
Repeated behaviors: are repeated behaviors practiced by people with self -control or dealing with sensory stimulation. While some of these behaviors may be clear such as shaking or handing hands, women may show more “camouflage” behaviors such as tingling the skin, rubbing the feet or wrapping hair, and may not be aware of them. Even addiction. They also have a suicide rate much higher than the average rate, and this is believed to be associated with the degree of concealment or camouflage they practice.
He pointed out that the later diagnostic factors are due to the possession of females with autism, a greater ability to hide or camouflage symptoms compared to males, which leads to the delay in the diagnosis or their wrong diagnosis, and deprives them of support and early care. This is in addition to the different expression of symptoms, as despite the similarity of the basic symptoms, girls often show greater difficulties in social interaction, less ability to adapt, emotional, cognitive and deeper linguistic problems. They also have greater tendencies towards aggressive behavior or suffering from depression and anxiety.
Also, many of the criteria for diagnosing autism were developed based on male studies, which makes some manifestations of female autism less clear or different, and therefore are discovered only in severe cases, or when symptoms worsen.
Madbouly noted that females face greater social pressure on integration and adaptation, which leads them to make a double effort to hide the symptoms. Over time, this effort may lead to psychological collapses or exacerbation of emotional problems, so the symptoms appear more severely at diagnosis.
He indicated that there are additional challenges for girls with autism in adolescence with the change of their social and educational needs, as behavior modification becomes vital at this stage to enhance their independence and develop social interaction skills. Behavioral amendment and social assistance techniques can play a major role in directing teenagers towards improving their behavior and capabilities.
He reviewed some tips to deal with autism in teenage girls:- Understanding and awareness: Parents and those concerned should be aware of the details of the situation and their changing requirements.- Effective communication: Encouraging communication in all its forms (verbal, signs, pictures). Teencles with respect and profound understanding of their needs and differences, and to provide emotional and social support.- Educational support: providing an appropriate educational environment in line with their own needs, and the use of specialized teachers.- Encourage independence: Support for developing independence skills and making correct decisions. Safe and appropriate social activities that enhance communication skills and relationships. Vocational guidance: in adulthood, providing professional support and guidance to help them choose the course of their career .- Listen and adapt: the constant listening to the needs of adolescents and adaptation as their interests change over time.
On the journey of treatment, Madbouly said: Dealing with autism in women and girls is vital to improving the quality of their lives and enhancing their integration into society. This requires a deep understanding of their individual needs and challenges. The correct diagnosis also ensures that the injured obtain the appropriate support and access to the available resources.
Common treatment and rehabilitation methods include:- Applied behavioral therapy (ABA): It aims to enhance positive behaviors and reduce unwanted behaviors.- Ugacy therapy: to improve language skills and verbal communication.- Social skills therapy: to teach how to interact with others and understand the rules of social behavior. Personal capabilities and skills. Medicines: to treat certain symptoms associated with autism, such as anxiety, depression, or epileptic seizures.- Food interventions: Some special diets may help improve symptoms in some women.
