Autistic girls  may have different communication styles and preferences. These can be seen through social communication and interactions, as well as language. These may include:

• Masking to mimic the behaviour of others to try to fit in.
• Appearing comfortable in social situations because they mimic others, but in reality they may not grasp the underlying social rules.
• Their interactions might be scripted or rehearsed rather than spontaneous.
• Difficulty switching topics or recognising when a listen is disinterested.
• Mimicking peer’s speech patterns, slang, or interests to blend in.
• Struggling with interpreting non-verbal cues (e.g. tone of voice, body language, facial expressions).
• Talking excessively about preferred topics and be less likely to enjoy or engage in ‘small talk’.
• Struggling with back-and-forth reciprocal conversations.
• Using more complex or imaginative language, masking underlying difficulties.
• Difficulty understanding sarcasm, idioms and ‘banter’.
• May be more likely to turn communication stress inwards e.g. withdrawal, selective mutism or shutdowns.
• Using overly formal or ‘adult-like’ speech.
• Differences with tone of voice, volume, accent or context-appropriate language.