New type of autism emerges - experts say it explains mystery of why girls are less likely to be diagnosed
For decades researchers have thought of autism as a predominantly male disorder but experts now say it may affect as many girls as it does boys. The prevalence of the spectrum disorder has increased over the past thirty years, with around four times as many boys diagnosed than girls. Experts said the findings are 'timely' and 'important', supporting what autism researchers have known for a long time: its markedly undiagnosed in women. According to researchers, autism is not necessarily more common in boys - it's just diagnosed earlier
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Over the period, 78,522 cases were diagnosed at around 14-years-old. This has led to a 'backlog' of cases, particularly among women and girls who were less likely to be diagnosed in the past.Source: Daily Mail February 05, 2026 14:18 UTC
