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Autism in Women and Girls

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I went to a conference today about Autism in Women and Girls. It was very interesting and the highlight for me was a talk from a Russian woman who failed an interview with the KGB to come to England as a spy, but decided to come and live here anyway and was eventually diagnosed with Asperger's. She was very funny. Another Asperger's woman talked abot her experiences in work and I bought her lovely little book about explaining to your colleagues about Asperger's.

 

It was at a very posh hotel in London and I felt very out of place there amongst all the doctors and teachers and stuff, but I found it very interesting and the lunch was VERY nice! I got myself to the station in time for the 6.30am train, only to find it had been cancelled, so I sat on the platform listening to the dawn chorus for half an hour thinking about how I could have spent that time in bed instead. A train did turn up in the end and I still got there on time. Now I am very, VERY tired!

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Ah, sounds great - I really wanted to go to that conference but a)I had another lecture to attend where they make us sign to say we've turned up and b)couldn't really justify the cost because it was quite a lot for a day conference.

 

Sounds really good though - certainly better than the lecture I went to where I nearly needed matchsticks to keep my eyes open!! :lol: :lol:

 

Spy? I shall add that to my career options :wacko:

 

Should add, I hope you didn't get a giant man with a huge afro :partytime: plonk himself in the seat in front of you as I had in my lecture today. Made a dull lecture even harder to concentrate on as I couldn't see the lecturer and so found it almost impossible to follow what she was saying (and she used no visual aids at all).

Edited by Mumble

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sounds like a great conference.

 

I think that girls really do present so differently than boys,

 

In the A/S school my daughter goes to, the boys and girls are almost like seperate groups and it isnt just a gender thign.. they just present so differently.

 

 

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i also attended this conference, i was shocked that out of 47 girls as identified with possible ASD, only 2 get diagnosed. Whats even worse is that

for boys with suspected ASD it was 40/47 that were diagnosed. Found lots of information for my dissertation.

 

Alexis

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I saw it advertised but could not understand why it should be so expensive. Did it include a 3 course meal ?

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i also attended this conference, i was shocked that out of 47 girls as identified with possible ASD, only 2 get diagnosed. Whats even worse is that

for boys with suspected ASD it was 40/47 that were diagnosed. Found lots of information for my dissertation.

 

Alexis

 

Those statistics are quite shocking.

 

It makes me wonder, whether its worth going for a diagnosis. I have a NHS psychiatric referral booked for April. I have no idea what knowledge this psychiatrist will have regarding ASD in females. I have to be seen by this person first in order to get a referral for the Maudsley.

 

Bid and Tally --- You both said you were seen at SBC's clinic in Cambridge. Was that a private consultation and did you have to be referred by a NHS Psychiatrist ?

 

 

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I saw it advertised but could not understand why it should be so expensive. Did it include a 3 course meal ?

 

There were a few subsidised places. My friend got one then dropped out so i then decided to attend.

You got tea and coffee, snacks, 2 course lunch. included.

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The meals provided were extremely good and the venue was very posh. The same conference could have been put on far cheaper if a different venue were used. I also had a subsidised place offered at the last minute due to a cancellation.

 

Jannih, I was actually not seen at SBC's clinic. At the time I was seeking diagnosis, I did contact them and was told I would need to be referred and my GP was happy to do so. However, it turned out they weren't seeing people from out-of-area at that time so they couldn't offer me an appointment. In the end I saw Dr Judith Gould at Elliot House privately and she did not require a referral for this.

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i also attended this conference, i was shocked that out of 47 girls as identified with possible ASD, only 2 get diagnosed. Whats even worse is that

for boys with suspected ASD it was 40/47 that were diagnosed. Found lots of information for my dissertation.

 

Alexis

 

I agree these statistics are shocking, but somehow not surprising, I am really fed up at the moment because our paed just will not make a desision about Dd3. I wish she would do a bit of reading around the subject of girls with AS . The salt was far more knowledgable but last time we saw the paed she hadn't even read the salt report AAAAGGGHHH !!! B)

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i also attended this conference, i was shocked that out of 47 girls as identified with possible ASD, only 2 get diagnosed. Whats even worse is that

for boys with suspected ASD it was 40/47 that were diagnosed. Found lots of information for my dissertation.

 

Alexis

 

I'm one of the 'lucky' ones then. I got diagnosed when i was 13 and in total crisis rock bottom state

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QUOTE (Sophie B @ Mar 8 2010, 07:39 PM)
I'm one of the 'lucky' ones then. I got diagnosed when i was 13 and in total crisis rock bottom state

 

i was diagnosed age 16, took me 7 years to pass my A levels with a breakdown in between, now im due to graduate in July 2011.

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Hiya, my daughter was dx at 5, she wouldn't have been if i hadn't pushed for all the assessments though, my daughters school seem to think that because my daughter isn't aggressive, likes physical contact and is very clever, she can't possibly have Aspergers :rolleyes: I have given them Tony Attwoods paper on girls with Aspergers, but still they act like they know best.

 

Tony Attwood's paper is here, if you would like to read it...

 

http://www.aspergerfoundation.org.uk/infosheets/ta_girls.pdf

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Hello

 

Thanks very much for that link, and also to hear from some women with AS (though not had an easy journey by the sound of it!)

 

My daughter is 9 and has not been diagnosed, but shares some of the AS traits with her dad alongside tourettes. Despite lots of opportunities to make friends she has never had any friends and I'm wondering if any of you AS girls could give me advice on ways to help her make friends/socialise?

 

Thanks,

Becky

xx

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Hiya, my daughter was dx at 5, she wouldn't have been if i hadn't pushed for all the assessments though, my daughters school seem to think that because my daughter isn't aggressive, likes physical contact and is very clever, she can't possibly have Aspergers :rolleyes: I have given them Tony Attwoods paper on girls with Aspergers, but still they act like they know best.

 

Tony Attwood's paper is here, if you would like to read it...

 

http://www.aspergerfoundation.org.uk/infosheets/ta_girls.pdf

 

Your daughter sounds similar to mine except for the physical contact. Her school are in denial that there are any issues at all. I think I will print the link and give it to them. And may be to my partner and some other members of my family too. B)

 

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Hello

 

Thanks very much for that link, and also to hear from some women with AS (though not had an easy journey by the sound of it!)

 

My daughter is 9 and has not been diagnosed, but shares some of the AS traits with her dad alongside tourettes. Despite lots of opportunities to make friends she has never had any friends and I'm wondering if any of you AS girls could give me advice on ways to help her make friends/socialise?

 

Thanks,

Becky

xx

I would say it might be a good idea to try to find groups who may share her interests, as a shared interest can be a focus for conversation. Also, if you can facilitate conversation to help break the ice it might help your daughter get to a point where she can continue the friendship without your input.

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Hiya, my daughter was dx at 5, she wouldn't have been if i hadn't pushed for all the assessments though, my daughters school seem to think that because my daughter isn't aggressive, likes physical contact and is very clever, she can't possibly have Aspergers :rolleyes: I have given them Tony Attwoods paper on girls with Aspergers, but still they act like they know best.

 

Tony Attwood's paper is here, if you would like to read it...

 

http://www.aspergerfoundation.org.uk/infosheets/ta_girls.pdf

 

Thanks for the link, something to use in my dissertation this year.

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