The symptoms can differ between women and men, but there is a certain degree of underdiagnosis in women . It is true that an adult who notices, for example, that they have difficulty socializing, or communication problems such as being very literal or not understanding double meanings, or excessively preferring routines, or having very intense and marked interests, among other things, might suspect that they could be a person with autism.

Boys, in childhood, I believe can be diagnosed more easily because they are like "little professors" on their subject of interest. Furthermore, if they are confused about their situation and express their frustration openly, that makes them more easily detectable.

Girls, on the other hand, tend to face problems by imitating their friends, remaining more inconspicuous. Beware! This makes them especially vulnerable to abuse, as their desire to belong and their difficulties in social interaction and understanding contexts lead them to interpret, for example, sexual advances as a sign of acceptance from others.

Clearly, every person is different, and although autism often appears in the early stages of development, it may not fully manifest until social demands become overwhelming. And this can be a different moment for each individual.