Firstly when we say autistic girl vs autistic boy please be reassured we are not talking about some sort of gladiatorial situation.

What we intend to do with this article is point out some of the differences you may see in terms of behaviour and traits. Naturally there are sweeping generalisations and as ever autism is very specific to the individual.

The basics

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behaviour.

While autism affects both sexes, research suggests that there may be some differences in the way autism presents in boys and girls.

Prevalence of autism

One key difference is that boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.

This may be due to the fact that boys tend to have more severe symptoms and are more likely to have issues with language and communication.

Girls, on the other hand, may be better able to compensate for their autism symptoms, which may make them less noticeable and result in a lower rate of diagnosis.

So the key here is not necessarily that there are more autistic boys than girls, more that it may be more obvious in boys making for easier identification.

Social differences

Another difference is that girls with autism tend to have better social skills than boys with autism.

For example, whilst girls may struggle with social cues and nonverbal communication, boys may have wider spread challenges with language and communication as a whole.

Boys may therefore be more likely to have difficulties with initiating social interactions and may be more withdrawn.

Other potential differences

Girls may also have more subtle repetitive behaviours or sensory issues.

Boys, on the other hand, may have more obvious repetitive behaviours and may be more likely to have issues with hyperactivity or impulsivity.

Boys with autism may be more likely to have difficulty with attention and focus, and may have a harder time staying on task.

They may also have a harder time understanding and following rules and routines. Boys may also be more likely to engage in aggressive or self-injurious behaviour.

Girls with autism may be more likely to have difficulty with social cues and perspective taking despite being more likely to initiate social interactions.

They may also have difficulty with some nuanced aspects of personal interactions, particularly in understanding sarcasm or figurative language.

Summary

So that is a basic autistic girl vs autistic boy comparison but as mentioned it is really It’s important to note that autism presents differently in every individual and these are just general trends.

It’s essential to evaluate each person with autism as an individual and provide them with support tailored to their unique needs.

Please feel free to browse our archive for more articles on raising an autistic child. Alternatively you could visit the UK’s National Autistic Societies website here.