Potential Causes And Risk Factors Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Gender

One of the most damaging myths about autism is the idea it mostly affects boys. This is not the case. However, there are significant differences in how children of different genders present with symptoms. The original body of research focused almost exclusively on boys, so researchers incorrectly assumed girls didn't have autism. Girls can and do have autism or are otherwise on the spectrum, but the symptoms present much more internally than externally. Boys are known for emotional volatility, screaming meltdowns, and fixations on things like trains. Some girls indeed have autism symptoms that look like this, and some boys have more internal symptoms. A girl experiencing sensory overstimulation might become withdrawn or shut down. If she expresses external symptoms, they may be written off as hysteria. Girls may also hyper fixate on things like beauty, nail polish, and horses, and since such fixations are considered normal, they may go unnoticed. Girls often struggle to communicate and maintain healthy social relationships, especially as they get older. Individuals should be aware of the internal and external ways autism presents, because if they only look for loud external signs, they could miss it entirely.

Continue reading to uncover more risk factors and causes associated with autism spectrum disorder now.