By Dr Tony Attwood
Dr Attwood covers everything from their ability to camouflage and mimic social behaviours to hide their social confusion to ways their condition may be identified through their unique interests and behaviours. He contends their ability to hide their Asperger’s affects the male/famale ratio of Asperger’s to 3 to 1, significantly greater than previous studies have shown. He also argues that girls with Asperger’s often are misdiagnosed, resulting in their not getting the help they need for what is often typical of their condition; low self esteem, depression (often clinical depression); vulnerability to relationship predators or living in abusive relationships; unhealthy excessive weight loss or gain; or selective mutism, among other things. He focuses on their atributes and the importance of a diagnosis so they can understand the ‘why’ or who they are. With that, they can develop an appreciation of their differences, which are not less than their neurotypical peers – just different.
