Aspergers Syndrome

An overwhelming amount of children referred for diagnostic assemssments for Aspergers Syndrome are boys.  Many researchers are finding that girls with Aspergers have the same traits and abilities as boys but are more subtle or maybe less sever in their characteristics.   It is said to be ten times more prevelent in boys then girls.  However researchers are suspecting that because Aspergers manifests differently in girls and may be less obvious they can slip through the cracks when it comes to diagnosis.   They also predict that as more girls are diagnosed the profile of the disorder and symptoms they look for will change as well.   Preliminary genetic studies also suggest that autism may be caused by different genes in boys and girls. 

 Girls may often be seen as having a passive personality at a young age instead of having a social impairment.  They may have less motor impairments, more obsessive interests,  and even though they have social skills problems they seem to want to connect with others more.  Girls obsessive interests are harder to identify though because they are common interests with most girls (horses, puppies, books).  Aspergers girls have more of an interest to fit in with those around them so they will study other girls to “copy” thier dress, behavior and actions.  What appears as shyness in girls is shrugged off as a common, sweet little girl trait. 

It is said that Aspergers in boys is hard to miss because they easily are identified as quirky.   They can have obsessive interests but often those interests are in one particular and even odd areas.  Boys have been observed as causing more disruptive behaviors in the classroom setting.   The appearance of shyness in a boy brings attention to their situation. 

http://www.newsweek.com/id/168868/page/1

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