Aedrian Salazar on Unsplash” />An autism assessor shares the most common signs of autism in boys.An autism assessor has opened up about some of the most common signs of autism she sees in boys.
Autism, a set of neurodevelopmental differences which influence how people experience and interact with the world, has long been viewed as mainly affecting men and boys.
But a study from Sweden suggests it may actually occur at comparable rates among both genders.
While more research is needed to explore why, it’s thought the disparity in early life might be because girls typically have better social and communication skills, making autism more difficult to spot.
This tracks with what autism assessor Conor Mc Donagh previously shared on TikTok, noting that autistic girls are usually “very good at masking” so it’s “not always obvious” that they have it.
He said some of the most common signs of autism in girls he sees, include: being rule-bound and struggling with change, having difficulties processing sensory information and having intense interests.
While these can also impact boys, Nicola Lathey, founder and clinical director at The Owl Centre, a national ADHD and autism assessment centre, notes the three most common signs of autism she sees in this group are slightly different…
What are the most common signs of autism in boys?
1. Differences with social interaction
The autism assessor says autistic boys often struggle to engage with their peers – instead, they might prefer to play on their own or gravitate towards adults who tend to accommodate their particular play routines and play preferences.
She continues: “During interactions, children may avoid eye contact or have unusual eye contact such as peripheral eye gaze (looking out of the corner of their eyes), have limited or no gesture or facial expression, or find it hard to interpret social cues such as tone of voice or body language, e.g. ‘That’s enough’ (said sternly when a child needs to stop what they’re doing) or hands on hips (meaning enough is enough).”
2. Delayed or different communication styles
Autistic boys may have delayed speech development, use repetitive language or scripts (this might look like learning phrases or stories from tv shows), or struggle to understand or express themselves effectively, says Lathey.
3. Repetitive behaviours and restricted interests
This might look like engaging in repetitive actions (such as wanting the same routines each day), and developing intense interests in specific topics or activities, such as dinosaurs, planets or trains.
“There may also be repetitive sensory seeking behaviours and complex mannerisms, such as hand flapping and/or jumping up and down when excited, whole-body rocking or pacing up and down a room,” notes the autism assessor.
She says these traits can make everyday situations, such as school, social gatherings, or family outings, “more stressful and complex for autistic children and those around them”.
If you think your child is autistic
One in 100 children in the UK have an autism diagnosis, with many more waiting for assessment.
The NHS says you can speak to a GP, health visitor (for children under five), any other health professional your child sees, or a special educational needs (SENCO) staff at your kid’s school if you think they might be autistic.
They may then refer your child for an autism assessment.
This is important if you think your child is autistic, as it can help you to understand their needs better and get them (and you) the right support.
