The more subtle signs of Autism
- Cady Stanton
- Mar 21, 2021
- 1 min read
Updated: Dec 20, 2024
If you read the diagnostic criteria for ASD, would you identify yourself as autistic? For many neurodivergent adults, the answer is no. "Deficits in nonverbal communication" and "restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior" fit the stereotype of an autistic little boy who doesn't make eye contact while lining up his toy cars. For many individuals, especially adults who identify as female, the signs are much more subtle.
I was asked to contribute to an article focused on what ASD looks like in women who are diagnosed later in life. The anxiety in complex social settings immediately came to mind. Often we don't even realize how anxious we are because we've adopted coping techniques to navigate them. For example:
Many of the women I meet who were diagnosed later in life report that they have had trouble in social settings where they didn’t have a clearly defined role," Stanton says. "As kids, they may have cried and gone home early during sleepovers. As adults, they create a role for themselves during social gatherings, perhaps helping in the kitchen or cleaning up.
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Understanding accessible tools that can help clarify these internal experiences is crucial, and resources like those for exploring the RAADS-R assessment can offer a valuable starting point for self-reflection before seeking professional guidance.
Cady, your point about women creating defined roles in social settings – like helping in the kitchen – as a coping mechanism for anxiety really resonates. It beautifully illustrates how many neurodivergent adults, particularly women, develop sophisticated strategies that often mask the underlying challenges, making diagnosis much more subtle than traditional criteria suggest. This "masking" can be incredibly draining. For many, recognizing these subtle signs in themselves is often the first step towards a deeper understanding of their own neurotype and seeking validation. If someone is starting to connect these experiences to potential autism traits and is looking for a way to explore further, an online autism assessment can be a very helpful starting point for self-reflection.
For parents with concerns about their child's development, an online Autism Test can be a private and low-stress way to explore potential ASD traits before seeking a formal evaluation.