“Because of expectations of cultural gender roles, girls try to mask their social challenges. While symptoms may seem less obvious, they may be exhausted internally trying to continually fit in and understand social situations. They may seem less impaired, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need support.” — Dr. Abha Gupta
With more awareness, more studies, and more people speaking up and sharing their stories, girls are less likely to be overlooked. As parents of girls with autism, or any developmental disability, we can be allies for our kids in many ways, including supporting them through the challenges they may be facing: emotional regulation, anxiety, the joys and pains of adolescence, puberty and periods, bullying, the “hidden” rules of friendships, gender fluidity, personal safety, and boundaries…the list goes on.
This week, we explore autism in girls with expert tips and insights from MDs and a PsyD.
Is autism different in girls? Read why an autism diagnosis might be overlooked or misdiagnosed in girls, what supports girls with autism need, the effects of masking, and more in our brand-new article Autism in Girls.
Get back to basics: read more about autism in our continuing series.
- Start here: Autism 101
- Get the 411 on how autism can be diagnosed: Diagnosing Autism
- Explore the most common co-occurring conditions: Autism and Co-Occurring Diagnoses
- Learn more about the educational supports available to kids with autism (and how to ask for them): Getting a Child with Autism the School Supports They Need
- Dive into our list of therapies that might be recommended to support a child with autism as well as the specialists who may be part of their care team: Autism Therapies and Specialists
- Find support locally or nationally: Support Organizations for Parents of Kids with Autism
Parent win: supporting kids with the partnership of Navigators
Amidst the challenges of COVID-19, one family sought Undivided’s help with the complex care and regression of their son. Witnessing remarkable progress, the clients shared with their speech therapist how Undivided truly changed their lives. Two compassionate Navigators helped the clients work through a comprehensive action plan, and their family went from a place of isolation and limited communication among family members to the joyous experience of going to Disneyland together!
Nominate your favorite provider!
It’s time to spotlight another provider for September! Do you have a favorite OT, PT, SLP, behavioral interventionist, or other therapist your kiddo loves to work with? Tell us their name and title, practice name, email, and socials (if you know them!) so we can reach out to them. Submit your nomination by Thursday, September 7!
Preparing for the One-Month IEP Check-In
If your child has started school in the past few weeks, chances are that you have some concerns about how well their IEP is being implemented. How do you address those concerns with your IEP team as soon as possible so that your child can have what they need for the rest of the school year?
Join us for a live event with Dr. Sarah Pelangka on September 14 to hear tips for working with IEP teams and advocating for your child’s necessary accommodations and services. (A full replay and recap of the highlights will be sent to RSVPs if you can’t make it live!) Sign up for the event here.
Undivided Conversations: Autism in Girls
In our next installment of Undivided Conversations, we sat down with Dr. Abha R. Gupta, MD, PhD, developmental-behavioral pediatrician and associate professor in the Departments of Pediatrics, Child Study Center, and Neuroscience at the Yale School of Medicine and Dr. Lauren Stutman, PsyD, licensed psychologist and founder of CARE-LA, to hear their expertise about autism in girls. Tune in to our conversation, which will debut Wednesday, September 6, at 3:00 p.m. PDT on our Instagram.
If you missed last week’s Undivided Conversations, check it out on YouTube! 5 Ways You Can Help Your Child’s Mental Health This School Year→
Office Hours with Education Advocate Lisa Carey
On Wednesday, September 6, 1:00–2:00 p.m. PDT, Education Advocate Lisa Carey will be available to answer questions about IEPs and special education. Stop by for five minutes or the whole hour to get expert answers and connect with other parents. Our bi-weekly Q&A sessions with specialists are open to Undivided members only, so if you’d like to attend, sign up here to begin your free Kickstart!
Learn how to help picky eaters with autism from dietician Brittyn Coleman. Watch on YouTube→- What adaptive/sensory items do you use at home for your kiddo with autism? Post your recommendations in our parents-only group on Facebook→
- Hear the importance of early intervention services from Dr. Kathryn Smith. Check it out on Instagram→
- Find past Undivided newsletters on our LinkedIn page! Connect with Undivided→
- No matter your child’s needs, we’ll help you build a roadmap for supporting them in school and beyond. Start here→
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This newsletter was originally sent to our subscribers on 8/31/23. Subscribe to our newsletter to get more resources like this in your inbox, or check out our full library of articles, templates, and videos at undivided.io/resources.
