Why girls are underdiagnosed with autism as Grimes, 37, reveals she just found out shes on the spectrum

At 37 years old, Grimes is finally connecting the dots.“Got diagnosed [with] ADHD/autism this year and realized I’m prob dyslexic, which is why I can’t spell at all without spellcheck,” the Canadian singer recently shared on X, reflecting on how an earlier diagnosis might have affected her childhood.Her revelation underscores a troubling trend: Autistic girls and women are often diagnosed much later in life — or not at all.Here’s everything you need to know about why so many are falling through the cracks.CDC data shows that roughly one in 36 US children has autism, with traditional estimates indicating that the disorder is four times more common in boys than in girls.However, experts are starting to challenge that ratio, with recent research suggesting nearly 80% of autistic females remain undiagnosed by age 18, according to UCLA Health.Why the gap? Since there’s no medical test for autism, doctors depend on a person’s developmental history and behavior to make a diagnosis.

But since most autism research has traditionally focused on males, what we know about the disorder is largely based on how it manifests in boys.When it comes to women, the way autism presents is “not very obvious,” Dr.Sanjeev Kothare, division director of pediatric neurology at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, told The Post. “In general, men have more severe communication and social problems, including repetitive behaviors and externalizing problems like ADHD,” Kothare said.

“Females present with less communication issues and repetitive behaviors, but exhibit more anxiety and depression.”In fact, girls on the spectrum may even seem ahead of their peers.“Girls with autism typically show language skills that may appear advanced for their age, which ironically can lead parents and teachers to overlook potential developmental concerns,” said Ralph Moller, director of operations at Above & Beyond Therapy. Experts say women with autism are also often more adep...