Autism, gender and culture.

Autism crosses all boundaries: social, religious, cultural and linguistic. The treatments that we offer children and families must however address the differences in culture and language. When I was in Saudi Arabia conducting workshops, I gave an example of sorting laundry to help children match and categorize. This is an activity parents I have worked with in Egypt have reported to do with their young children with success. However when I was in Saudi I was reminded by the mothers in the audience that their boys would never sort laundry, it would be culturally inappropriate.