Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Asperger Syndrome

Description

Girls with Asperger's Syndrome are less frequently diagnosed than boys, and even once symptoms have been recognised, help is often not readily available. The image of coping well presented by AS females of any age can often mask difficulties, deficits, challenges, and loneliness. This is a must-have handbook written by an Aspergirl for Aspergirls, young and old. Rudy Simone guides you through every aspect of both personal and professional life, from early recollections of blame, guilt, and savant skills, to friendships, romance and marriage. Employment, career, rituals and routines are also covered, along with depression, meltdowns and being misunderstood. Including the reflections of over thirty-five women diagnosed as on the spectrum, as well as some partners and parents, Rudy identifies recurring struggles and areas where Aspergirls need validation, information and advice. As they recount their stories, anecdotes, and wisdom, she highlights how differences between males and females on the spectrum are mostly a matter of perception, rejecting negative views of Aspergirls and empowering them to lead happy and fulfilled lives. This book will be essential reading for females of any age diagnosed with AS, and those who think they might be on the spectrum. It will also be of interest to partners and loved ones of Aspergirls, and anybody interested either professionally or academically in Asperger's Syndrome. Acknowledgment Contents Foreword Introduction 1. Imagination, self-taught reading and savant skills, and unusual interests 2. Why smart girls sometimes hate school 3. Sensory Overload 4. Stimming, and what we do when we're happy 5. On blame and internalizing guilt 6. Gender roles and identity 7. Puberty and mutism 8. Attraction, dating, se, and relationships 9. Friendships and socializing 10. Higher learning 11. Employment and career 12. Marriage and cohabitation 13. Having children 14. Ritual and routine, logical and literal thinking, bluntness, empathy, and being misunderstood 15. Diagnosis, misdiagnosis and medication 16. Depression meltdowns, PTSD, and more about meds 17. Temper meltdowns 18. Burning bridges 19. Stomach issues and autism 20. Getting older on the spectrum 21. On whether Asperger syndrome is a disability or a gift, and advice from aspergirls to aspergirls Additional tools for parents 22. Give your aspergirls some balls: belief, acceptance, love, like, and support 23. Thoughts and advice from parents of aspergirls Appendix List of female Asperger syndrome traits Summary of some main female/male differences References and resources