Research Information System
Turkish Journal of Pediatrics, vol.67, no.4, pp.514-521, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus, TRDizin)
Background. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is more frequently diagnosed in boys than in girls, possibly due to gender-based differences in symptom presentation or referral patterns. This study investigates gender-related variations in symptom severity and clinical presentation among preschool children referred for suspected ASD. Methods. This study included 125 children (boys: n=103; girls: n=22) aged 2–5 years suspected of having ASD. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used to evaluate autism-related symptoms, focusing on presenting complaints and gender-specific differences in nonverbal communication and social interaction. Results. Girls had a significantly younger median age at assessment (28 months) compared to boys (33 months, p=0.03). In the minimal to no symptoms group, girls had significantly higher total CARS scores (median 26 vs. 22.5, p Conclusion. This study highlights that girls may exhibit more prominent symptoms by the time they are referred for clinical evaluation, raising concerns about missed or delayed recognition of milder symptom profiles.