CELEBRITY
Tallulah Willis Reveals Autism Diagnosis
buuski/Instagram
Tallulah Willis, the 30-year-old daughter of actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, revealed she was diagnosed with autism last summer.
Willis shared a throwback video on Instagram on Friday that showed her dad holding her while speaking in a red carpet interview. Throughout the clip, she can be seen rubbing his bald head, pulling his ears, and chewing her lips.
tell me your autistic without telling me your autistic, she captioned the video.
In the comments, one fan asked if she had been diagnosed as a child.
“Actually this is the first time Ive ever publicly shared my diagnosis. Found out this summer and its changed my life,” Tallulah replied.
Autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, is a neurological and developmental disorder characterized by a variety of challenges with communication, social skills and repetitive behaviors. It is often discovered in children around age 2 or 3, but diagnoses can occur much later in life, especially for women.
According to UCLA Health, caregivers and healthcare providers often miss signs of autism in young girls because the disorder frequently manifests differently than in boys. Girls report more sensory difficulties and fewer social difficulties.
While boys with autism are more likely to experience difficulties with behavior and acting out, girls are more likely to internalize their symptoms, developing anxiety or depression that manifests as shyness, which for girls is often considered socially acceptable. Girls also tend to camouflage their symptoms, called masking, which can cause mental fatigue, stress and anxiety, according to UCLA Health.
TMX contributed to this article.
