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Autism is considered a condition that mostly affects boys. A new Swedish study concludes that, by early adulthood, autism diagnoses in males and females are nearly equal. This research now appears in The British Medical Journal.

This observational study tracked 2.7 million Swedes born between 1985 and 2022 and followed for up to 37 years. For males, the highest autism diagnosis rate occurs between ages 10 and 14 years. For females, the peak appears later between ages 15 to 19. By age 20, the male-female diagnosis rate is about equal. And that is a far cry from the long-accepted 4-to-1 ratio reported in earlier childhood-based studies.

These findings suggest that autism spectrum disorders may be under-recognized and under-diagnosed in girls during childhood rather than less common. Other research suggests that girls are better able than boys to mask social difficulties leading to the delayed diagnosis. Apparently, autism in females presents differently than in males and may not be identified until adolescence or adulthood. Earlier recognition could reduce mistaken diagnoses of anxiety, mood, or personality disorders.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41638711/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260210082921.htm

#autism #asd #girls #boys