Judith Gould: The Diagnosis of women and girls on the autism spectrum

Luentovideo on kuvattu Porissa 2017 Autismin talvipäivillä, jossa tri, konsultoiva kliininen psykologi Judith Gould luennoi tyttöjen ja naisten autismikirjosta.

[@kaiven2429]

I was one of the kids missed in the forties....Now I'm 81 and I am including myself as Asperger's for sure, beyond a doubt and it feels really good. My life would have been sooooo different had I been seen and recognized in the forties....! I finally labeled myself genderless, after being all the other identity labels. Changed my name to a genderless name to better match my Asperger Self.

[@hrtdinasaurette3020]

Very delayed comment I know. But, I’m 52 n now awaiting a diagnosis. So, delayed in more ways than one. Sarah Hendrickx is excellent but, sadly, there is very little info. relating to female LATE diagnosis. Sarah is one in a million. If 50+ years of masking and mis-diagnosis has left you near breaking point, she’s the best I could find on TH-cam. Sending hope and strength to my sisters in suffering n hope for your correct diagnosis and support.❤

[@amymclellan583]

Diagnosed at 31... so important that people recognise how autism presents in females!

[@Lady8D]

I don't know if I'd be diagnosed or not, I've never brought any of this up with a doctor (in part bc I've only just realized/learned about autism & how precisely it seems to describe me).
That said, regardless of whether or not Im actually Autistic, its still really nice to know that there is a group in the world that I fit in and there are other people in the world that feel as I do! This is a first for me!
Though, I seem to have a mix of male/female presentation (at least, I relate to a mixed presentation)...which makes sense to me because I've never felt male nor female but instead feel like a mix of both.

[@SavageThrifter]

Same so much!

[@adeel-eh7xq]

Most doctors and gps aren't trained to see the signs of high functioning autism, even less so in women who often mask it better than men. These days some teachers can spot it more easily because schools are screening aspergers more and more to help kids improve their learning who have it. I remember before I found out I was autistic, I went to a GP for something totally unrelated, and she said that she can tell that I'm a very tense person, but really couldn't spot the autism. In all fairness, it's not their area of expertise, and only clinical psychologists who specialise in developmental disorders have an eye for it. Even in psychology school, I hated making eye contact with one professor and she got offended once, but she wasn't a clinical psychologist but an academic one.

[@screamingminnow920]

me too, all of us here are probably all a little on the spectrum we just doubt it because we haven’t had confirmation so there’s no proof 😂 (or at least i do)

[@MOJORAPSCALLION]

Me too!!! Never a girlie girl or a boyish boy but in the middle of the two.. I’m glad I’m not alone.

[@bellachance1206]

I wish I could love rather than just like this video. Judith Gould is brilliant and this video has summed up both girls and women with Aspergers perfectly. I wish that all professionals who have to assess girls, and especially women, would have to watch this as part of their training. The details and examples that Judith gives are invaluable in giving a correct diagnosis in females who are especially adept at masking and camouflaging.

[@RainbowLuce]

As someone who is about to have the second part of my ASD assessment but is very much conflicted about whether I could actually be autistic, I found this video really helpful. I've made a load of notes of examples from my own life whilst listening to this which I can read over & take with me. It feels like my suspicions, & those of my colleagues who work with autistic people, are justified now that I've seen this. I hope my assessor later this month is able to ask questions in the right way to get at the relevant information. It was actually the film which Olly* made about her assessment with Judith which led me to watching this, so I'm very thankful to both ladies right now.

[@MOJORAPSCALLION]

How was the assessment? What was your outcome?

[@RainbowLuce]

@@MOJORAPSCALLION It went well and I came out with a diagnosis and it's really helped me in the couple of years since! 😊

[@lizvlx]

i find it really sad to listen to neurotypical people like her to talk about neurotypical behaviour and rational and emotio as if it were the only and the right way to think feel be. that is discriminating and so narrow-minded.
also, everything she talks about what autistic females cannot do or do worse. she never mentions what autistic people can do better. that is a sad way to look at people and the world.
and it is ethically and logically wrong aka false.

[@DevonExplorer]

That's exactly what I thought too, lizvlx. I actually couldn't hear her very well, and may have missed something, but it seemed to me that she was saying that all girls & women present the same way, which doesn't take into account the fact that we are all different and some are more like the male autistic, whereas some boys are more like the females...in other words, a mixture. I think her talk was excellent in showing how girls can get missed because of the way they can mask, etc, but I do agree with you, and I find it very irritating that it comes over as if there's something wrong or not 'intellectually normal' about the way we go about our special interests. The very fact that we have more intensity and focus is something to be celebrated and not deplored.

[@猫草-j5r]

i know this reply is very late, but i recommend listening to / watching Sarah Hendrickx‘ lectures and talks. She talks from a neurodivergent perspective and has a more positive view on it.

[@lizvlx]

@@猫草-j5r agree