by This Sunday, June 18 is celebrated the World Autism Pride Day, which aims to end stigma and make visible discrimination that this group is suffering.
Contrary to popular belief, the autism spectrum disorder (asd) is not a mental illness, rather it is a condition or neurobiological disorder development. These are some of the keys.
He autism spectrum disorder (ASD) It is a neurobiological developmental disorder that manifests in first three years of life and lasts throughout the life cycle. Some people with autism have a intellectual difficulty, but others do not: intellectual capacity is not linked to the diagnosis of autism. THE main events of this condition are linked to difficulties when interacting with others, in addition to repeating patterns behavior, interests or activities. For example, a child who is obsessed with dinosaurs, who knows absolutely everything about these animals and who, in every communication situation, wants to talk about this exact topic and nothing else. However, these These are not the only demonstrations. and that is why it is sometimes difficult to diagnose and a joint evaluation should be carried out.
What is the prevalence?
Its prevalence is greater than you might think: one in 100 people has an ASD. According to Catalan Autism Federation, in Catalonia there are about 75,000 people with this condition. In the 70% of cases, There is a associated intellectual disability, of varying degree. According to current diagnostic criteria, the prevalence in men is higher than in women: all four boys There is a girl autism, although this fact is also in revision.
How many degrees of autism are there?
Although autism is quite spectrum with many degrees and differences between them (and that’s why no two people are the same), currently exist three levels of support needs among the autistic population. Level 1 of the TE is what used to be called spray, These are the people who find social interaction difficult, develop resistance to accepting change, and show some inflexibility of thought. It does not imply an intellectual disability (in some cases they are brilliant people with university degrees), but they need a little help to connect, structure your day and manage sensory stimuli in some cases, as well as emotions and relationships.
people with second year ASD They need significant help because they have more difficulty communicating (both verbally and with gestures). His behavior is inflexible, they show anxiety about changes and their behaviors are restrictive and repetitive.
Finally, people with third year ASD They need a lot of help because they have significant communication difficulties (sometimes they don’t speak), both verbally and with gestures. His attitude is inflexible they show anxiety about changes and their behaviors are restrictive and repetitive. need constant support and accompaniment to carry out daily activities.
Why is there a gender bias in diagnosis?
A 70% women with autism spectrum disorder (TORCH) remain undiagnosed. These are adults who they were not detected as girls because there is a significant gender biases in this type of medical diagnosis, still very focused on the main manifestations of male children. This sub-diagnosis is recorded basically in women who do not have an intellectual disability and in which the signs of trouble, as daughters, have passed unnoticed.
According to specialists, girls with autism “hide their differences.” “Children have ‘special’ interests, such as the trains, THE dinosaursTHE camping trailers… but they choose more socially accepted subjects for a girl/woman, like music, fashion, ‘barbies’… However, if you look a bit more at how they talk about those interests, if you talk to the family, you can see the impact this masking can have on their quality of life ” , points Martha Field, general manager of the Catalan Autism Federation.
What is the risk of underdiagnosis?
According to psychologists and psychiatrists, he risk Stop mental health problems increases in women with autism, and they even suffer more suicide attempts than men with this disability. There is studies which show that these people who have not received an early diagnosis of autism register more emotional diagnoses adulthood.
Women who have not been diagnosed have social difficulties. It is often confused with the borderline personality disorder because they are very emotional, warn doctors. These are women who can understand social contexts differently or that they may not fully understand a situation. They can also be very innocent (something, the latter, that differentiates them from borderline personality disorder) and therefore more vulnerable in terms of nuance and innuendo. And they have increased risk of psychosis when they receive inappropriate diagnoses and therefore find themselves without access to a prompt and appropriate treatment. Often, therefore, they also receive medication that is not correct.
