Episode Details

In this episode of Playful Beginnings, Dr. Maggie Parker and Dr. Kristie Opiola sit down with Dr. Elisabeth Rice, an Associate Professor at George Washington University and co-host of the On Her Side podcast. The conversation explores the nuanced and often overlooked presentation of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in girls. Dr. Rice discusses how traditional diagnostic criteria, largely based on male presentations, have led to a "lost generation" of women and girls who go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

The episode delves into the concept of "masking"—the exhausting social mimicking girls use to blend in—and the internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, that often lead them to clinical settings before an ASD diagnosis is ever considered. Dr. Rice emphasizes the importance of neuro-affirming practices, moving away from "fixing" behaviors and toward understanding the internal experience and sensory needs of the child.