AARC Tip of the Month - June  2015
 
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Girls and Autism

 

Over recent years several things have come abreast about the population of girls with autism spectrum disorder.  The following are several facts you may or may not know:

  • Autism spectrum disorder is more five times more prevalent in boys than it is in girls.
  • Girls have stronger communication skills as assessed on diagnostic instruments, and score higher on specific communicative behaviors such as pointing and gaze following.  
  • Sex related social difficulties may emerge over time - boys have more impairments early on, whereas social difficulties might appear early in adolescence in girls.
  • Boys with ASD tend to have a higher IQ overall than girls with ASD.
  • Results from parent interviews and provider observations show that disruptive behavior as observed in boys has a different purpose (e.g. to gain objects) than observed in girls, which is more social in nature (e.g. acquire caregiver attention).  

 

To learn more about girls and autism spectrum disorder please check the books of the month!

 

Books of the Month:
The books of the month are  available in the SESA Library. You may search the library on the SESA website, or you may contact our Librarian, Anne Freitag, at [email protected] or  907-334-1301

Electronic books may be accessed from anywhere in the state. If you've used our ebooks before, this link will take you to the title and log you in

 

If you haven't used our ebooks before, please contact Anne so she can set up a username and password for you. Click here for more information about ebooks.

 

For easy searching on the SESA Library site, we've added the ISBN number. Simply copy, paste, and search!
 

Asperger's and Girls : World-renowned experts join those with Asperger's Syndrome to resolve issues that girls and women face every day! 
Featuring Tony Attwood and Temple Grandin, plus 7 more experts. 
Future Horizons, Inc., 2006.
ISBN:  9781932565409

 

Description: "...describes the unique challenges of women and girls with Asperger's Syndrome. In it you'll read candid stories written by the indomitable women who have lived them. You'll also hear from experts who discuss whether "Aspie girls" are slipping under the radar, undiagnosed; why many AS women feel like a minority within a minority (outnumbered by men 4:1); practical solutions school systems can implement for girls; social tips for teenage girls, navigating puberty, the transition to work or university, and the importance of careers."

 


Aspergirls : Empowering Females with Asperger Syndrome 
By: Rudy Simone
Foreword: Liane Holliday Willey
Jessica Kingsley, 2010.
ISBN:  9781849058261

 

Description: Girls with Asperger's Syndrome are less frequently diagnosed than boys, & even once symptoms have been recognized, help is often not readily available. The image of coping well presented by AS females can often mask difficulties, deficits, challenges, & loneliness.

 


Girls Growing Up on the Autism Spectrum [electronic resource] : What parents and professionals should know about the pre-teen and teenage years 
By: Shana Nichols, with Gina Marie Moravcik and Samara Pulver Tetenbaum
Foreword: Liane Holliday Willey
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2009.
ISBN: 1843108550
 

Description: This book is not only reassuring; it is inspiring, and bursting with ideas and achievable strategies. The authors write with authority and conviction, and tackle even the most difficult and delicate of topics. If ever you needed to be convinced that girls with ASD can overcome the difficulties and challenges of puberty and adolescence, have successful friendships and relationships and enjoy a healthy sexuality, then take the time to read this book-it is a must-have for families, teachers and therapists alike.".-Sarah Attwood, author of Making Sense of Sex: A Forthright Guide to Puberty. Also available as a paper book

 


Girls Under the Umbrella of Autism Spectrum Disorders : Practical solutions for addressing everyday challenges 
By: Lori Ernsperger & Danielle Wendel 
Foreword: Liane Holliday Willey
Autism Asperger Pub. Co., c2007.
ISBN:  9781931282475 

 

Contents: Introduction -- 1. Who are girls with ASD? -- 2. The early years -- 3. Off to school -- 4. Adolescence and early adulthood -- 5. Oh, the places you'll go -- References -- Appendix -- Index.

 


The Independent Woman's Handbook for Super Safe Living on the Autistic Spectrum 
By: Robyn Steward
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2014.
ISBN:  9781849053990

 

Description: In the same way that seatbelts give added protection to drivers, allowing them to travel safely wherever they choose to go, this practical book will help protect women on the autistic spectrum to negotiate risks and dangers as they live independent lives. Certain traits common to autism such as difficulty interpreting social cues can leave women susceptible to compromising their personal safety. Advocating that no woman on the autistic spectrum should be scared to enjoy independence provided she has the right knowledge and coping strategies in place, this book is filled with practical advice (for ages 16 plus) on how to stay safe while living life to the full. Informed by a survey of women on and off the autistic spectrum, it gets to the heart of the specific safety challenges faced by women, and offers numerous easy-to-use strategies to help avoid and overcome them. Topics covered include friendships, relationships and sex, alcohol and drugs, money and employment, and staying safe outside of the home and online. This will be a trusted and empowering companion for women on the spectrum and will also be valuable and insightful reading for anyone who cares for a woman on the spectrum, including their families, friends and teachers.

 


Middle School: the stuff nobody tells you about : a teenage girl with high-functioning autism shares her experiences
By: Haley Moss
Preface: Susan J. Moreno
Foreword: Diane Adreon
Autism Asperger Pub. Co., c2010.
ISBN:  9781934575628

 

Description: "Middle school is an intimidating time for most students, but for students with autism spectrum disorders, it can be a veritable minefield of hidden curriculum rules, social misunderstandings and cliques - and that's before they even get to the academics! ... a teenager with high-functioning autism relates her own experiences in middle school. Aimed at young teens, Middle School tackles the issues that girls this age care about: fitting in, making friends, wearing the right clothes, succeeding academically and more. The book's "for teens, by teens" approach makes it an easy, fun read while giving readers practical tips that they can use in their everyday lives. Haley - already an accomplished artist - also illustrated the book."--Publisher's website.

 


My Strange and Terrible Malady
By: Catherine Bristow
Autism Asperger Pub. Co., 2008.
ISBN:  1934575194


 

Description: "Ronita Baker is not happy. How can she be happy when she has just been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome--some boy's ailment that she's never heard [of] any girl ever having?"--Cover verso.