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Scientists Studied 171,000 Patients. One Autism Diagnosis Pattern Stood Out
Newsweek • • health
Key Points:
- A study analyzing 171,134 patient records from a Midwestern U.S. health system found that autism diagnoses among girls and women increased significantly after 2020, while diagnoses among boys and men remained stable or declined.
- The research suggests that rising autism diagnoses may reflect improved recognition of autism in females, who have historically been underdiagnosed due to diagnostic criteria based on male traits.
- Girls and women received autism diagnoses on average 3.4 years later than boys and men, with an average diagnosis age of 15.7 years for females versus 12.3 years for males, potentially delaying access to supportive services.
- The study highlights that females often mask autistic traits through social camouflaging, which complicates diagnosis, and their symptoms may present as internal distress like anxiety or depression rather than disruptive behaviors.
- Researchers also noted a decline in Asperger disorder diagnoses in favor of broader autism spectrum disorder classifications and emphasized the importance of screening females with related health conditions for autism and ADHD.
