Autistic woman who was only diagnosed at age 22 reveals six warning signs of the disorder often ignored in girls – from SHY to an ‘unusual attachment to objects’
- Jennifer Lopez, 23, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) last year.
- She has shared her experience on TikTok to raise awareness
- In a recent video, she outlined some of the more surprising signs of ASD in girls
A 23-year-old who didn’t find out she’s autistic until adulthood shares six lesser-known signs of the disorder that are often overlooked in girls.
Jennifer Lopez, 23, is known as @jenmilo930 on TikTok, where she shares her experiences with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since she was diagnosed last year.
“It’s so important to raise awareness because many autistic women go undiagnosed,” she shared. News week. “I’m glad I can be that person to help others get a diagnosis sooner rather than later.”
ASD is a developmental disorder characterized by problems with behaviour, communication, interaction and learning Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jennifer Lopez, 23, is known as @jenmilo930 on TikTok, where she shares her experience with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since being diagnosed last year
In a recent video, she outlined some of the more surprising signs of ASD seen in girls
Lopez noted that girls with ASD may find it difficult to describe or manage their feelings
About one in 36 children in the US is diagnosed with ASD, and it is nearly four times more common in boys than girls.
Lopez told Newsweek that her ASD symptoms started when she was a baby and got harder to handle when she started school.
She was overly sensitive to certain noises, materials, and foods, and would collapse if anyone touched her things.
The content creator also recalled that she was unable to connect with her peers and had to go to speech therapy due to her struggle with language.
Lopez believes her ASD symptoms were missed by her parents and teachers because of her gender.
In a recent video, she outlined some of the more surprising signs of ASD seen in girls, hoping to help others who have yet to be diagnosed.
She explained that a girl with the disorder can “rely on other children to guide and speak for her during the school day” and only have “conversations that are limited to her areas of interest.”
Girls with ASD may also find it difficult to describe and manage their feelings.
“She is called ‘quiet’ or ‘shy’ at school and in other social situations,” Lopez continued. ‘She is unusually passive’
Lopez added that “being unusually attached to objects or toys” is another symptom of ASD that can be overlooked in young girls.
Lopez’s video has been viewed nearly 30,000 times and several commenters shared that they had similar issues growing up
“She is called ‘quiet’ or ‘shy’ at school and in other social situations,” Lopez continued. “She’s unusually passive.”
She added that “being unusually attached to objects or toys” is another symptom of ASD that can be overlooked in young girls.
Lopez’s video has been viewed nearly 30,000 times and a number of commenters shared that they had similar issues growing up.
“Here dear,” one person wrote, while another added, “Yes, being attached to objects and toys is a huge thing for me.”
“I’ve had a Minnie Mouse plush for six years now,” someone else shared. “I can’t let her go.”