Girls And Autism - A Hidden Minority

Girls with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are often overlooked, under-diagnosed and less likely to get appropriate support until later in their lives. The lack of understanding of autism in girls and lack of appropriate diagnosis and support can lead to unique challenges for autistic girls.

This session will explore current research on autism in girls, what autism in girls looks like and how we can best support the early years girls and families affected.

In this session we will explore:

• What the current research tells us about the prevalence of girls on the spectrum
• How autism may affect girls differently, and the key characteristics to look out for in young children
• Look at the key theories such as theory of mind, social imagination double empathy theory and masking
• Issues that autistic girls may face during early years education including sensory sensitivity
• Practical skills to help girls (and their families) in your setting using real life stories