Table of Contents
Foreword 9
Introduction 13
1 Imagination, Self-taught Reading and Savant Skills, and Unusual Interests 19
2 Why Smart Girls Sometimes Hate School 27
3 Sensory Overload 35
4 Stimming, and What We Do When We're Happy 45
5 On Blame and Internalizing Guilt 53
6 Gender Roles and Identity 61
7 Puberty and Mutism 67
8 Attraction, Dating, Sex, and Relationships 79
9 Friendships and Socializing 95
10 Higher Learning 107
11 Employment and Career 117
12 Marriage and Cohabitation 127
13 Having Children 137
14 Ritual and Routine, Logical and Literal Thinking, Bluntness, Empathy, and Being Misunderstood 147
15 Diagnosis, Misdiagnosis and Medication 159
16 Depression Meltdowns, PTSD, and More about Meds 167
17 Temper Meltdowns 181
18 Burning Bridges 191
19 Stomach Issues and Autism 199
20 Getting Older on the Spectrum 205
21 On Whether Asperger Syndrome is a Disability or a Gift, and Advice from Aspergirls to Aspergirls 211
Additional Tools for Parents
22 Give Your Aspergirl Some BALLS: Belief, Acceptance, Love, Like, and Support 219
23 Thoughts and Advice from Parents of Aspergirls 225
Appendix
List of Female Asperger Syndrome Traits 230
Summary of Some Main Female/Male Differences 233
References and Resources 235