Recent research highlights two critical challenges facing children with autism: a potential gender bias in diagnosis, leading to many girls going undiagnosed due to milder symptoms, and a widespread prevalence of key vitamin deficiencies in autistic children, largely linked to dietary habits.

Concerning diagnostic practices, groundbreaking research suggests that millions of young girls with autism may be undiagnosed because their symptoms are often milder and more subtly masked compared to boys. While experts have traditionally noted that men are, on average, four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than women, US researchers now posit that this disparity might stem from girls' ability to mask tell-tale signs. The largest study on this topic, tracking over 3,100 children with an older autistic sibling and more than 1,400 controls, used the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) to identify autism-related behaviors. Findings published in JAMA Network Open revealed that girls with autism exhibited fewer difficulties in areas like eye contact and social impairment, scoring lower on diagnostic scales. Among children with an autistic sibling, boys were still twice as likely to receive a diagnosis, a ratio lower than the general population but still significant. This disparity prompts serious concerns that girls are missing out on crucial early treatment and therapy, which could leave them vulnerable to other health issues later in life. Experts argue that current diagnostic criteria may not adequately account for these sex differences, thereby reinforcing historical biases that have long considered autism a male-dominant disorder. The NHS also acknowledges that autistic girls may often hide signs of the condition by mimicking the behavior of other children.

Simultaneously, a separate area of research from Singapore has revealed that a significant number of autistic children could be suffering from critical vitamin deficiencies. Studies have consistently shown that children with autism are up to five times more likely to be picky eaters and exhibit a fear of new foods compared to typically developing youngsters. Investigating the impact of such restricted diets, scientists assessed the dietary habits of over 240 children and discovered that almost 40 percent were deficient in vitamin D, and a similar percentage (37.7 percent) suffered from iron deficiency. Furthermore, over 15 percent of those with an iron deficiency had developed anemia, a condition characterized by a lack of healthy red blood cells. The researchers emphasized the importance of these findings, advocating for the implementation of routine nutrition checks for children with autism. They noted that identifying and treating these deficiencies could lead to significant improvements in a child's overall health and development. The study also found that age influenced low iron levels, with older children being more prone to iron deficiency anemia, though formula milk in younger ages appeared to offer some protection due to nutrient fortification. Untreated vitamin D deficiencies can lead to severe health problems, including bone deformities like rickets, muscle pain, and weakness, while low iron can cause fatigue, shortness of breath, and headaches. While vitamin D can be obtained from sunshine in summer and supplements in winter, adequate iron should ideally come from a balanced diet, though some may require supplements like ferrous fumarate.

These two critical areas of concern emerge against a backdrop of an escalating crisis in autism diagnosis services. Official NHS figures indicate an alarming rise in demand for autism assessments in England, with almost 130,000 under-18s still awaiting assessment in December 2024. This represents a six-fold increase from the 20,000 recorded in December 2019, highlighting an