SEX DIFFERENCES IN AUTISM

Discussion:

For the first time in our country girls are examined separately as a group. The findings about the pause or regression of girls' speech may encourage other researchers to study the related factors and their organic and environmental aspects. The results are discussed with reference to related literature.

Results:

There were no significant differences between boys and girls in relation to their demographic and prenatal, natal and post natal characteristics, motor and language skills, toilet training , developmental level, age when parents first realized the symptom, symptoms of autism, scores of AGTE and S-B. There were significant gender differences in the birth weight, doubt in hearing, lack of speech, pause or regression of speech. Boys had more points in birth weight, there were more doubt in their hearing and more number of boys had lack of speech. On the other hand, girls had more pause or regression in their speech.

Method:

60 girls and 58 boys who fulfilled the DSM III-R and DSM IV criteria for autistic disorder are matched according to their ages at referral. These children are compared in relation to their demographic and pre-natal, natal and post-natal characteristics, motor skills, language skills, toilet training, developmental level, age when parents first realized the symptoms, symptoms of autism, scores of Ankara Development Screening Inventory (AGTE) and scores of Stanford Binet (S-B) intelligence scales and the differences between girls and boys are examined. Re- sults:There were no significant differences between boys and girls in relation to their demographic

Objective:

The aim of this study is to compare demographic and clinical characteristics of girls and boys with autistic disorder.