Do Girls Have 'Protection' from Autism? (Op-Ed)

Alycia Halladay, chief science officer for the Autism Science Foundation, contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. For years, scientists have reported a higher autism prevalence in males than in females. Most studies show about a 4:1 ratio in the prevalence of autism in boys compared with girls, meaning boys are four times as likely to receive an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis.