Asperger syndrome (AS; otherwise known as Asperger\u2019s) is a formerly recognized form of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Though diagnoses of Asperger\u2019s syndrome are no longer common, and instead ASD is seen as encompassing a larger set of symptoms, some people who found community in a past Asperger\u2019s diagnosis use that name and do not consider it outdated. Greta still identifies with her Asperger\u2019s diagnosis and has frequently mentioned it as a way for people to understand her thought and behavioral processes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n When they were recognized as separate, the main distinctions between Asperger\u2019s and autism were that people with Asperger\u2019s showed no signs of intellectual disability, and they had fewer visible self-soothing symptoms such as verbal echoes and bodily rocking. Autistic people and people with Asperger\u2019s tend to have special interests, which are items or concepts that someone studies or observes with intense or passionate interest. Special interests can range from machinery to coding to literature and art history.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Historically, women and girls have been underdiagnosed with autism. Some scholars speculate that this is due to gender bias in the definition of symptoms. Many girls with autism display symptoms less obviously or become better at masking sensory overload and meltdowns from an earlier age, which leads to their symptoms being attributed to other issues besides autism. Below is a video in which autistic women explain their experience with the diagnosis and how they view their identities as autistic women. Make sure to watch from 0:47 to 2:57, but watch as much of the video as you like.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\nWhat is the difference between Asperger\u2019s and autism?<\/b><\/h5>\n
Women with autism<\/b><\/h5>\n