flowerthief wrote:
Hi everyone, and thank you so much for the welcomes and replies. I really should explain what led me to the "aspergers" idea concerning my mother n law. I should also point out that she has been this way for 15 years that I have known her, and prior according to family. She has always been "different". When she was younger (she can barely recall her past) she would have episodes of waking in the night screaming. In the early 90's, she began having what they describe as seizures--but what I witnessed was more of a "zoning-out" episode. She would simply be in another world, and no one could reach her there. They would last sometimes for hours on end. She was prescribed medications for that, and rarely has an occurence now. But it does still happen on occassion. She was diagnosed as legally deaf when she was 3 years old. I dont know if any of the above has anything at all to do with aspergers or not.....I was simply stating a few things that I know.
I also want very much to apologize to everyone!! ! Please, understand that I am in no way trying to make this condition seem like a heartless, robotic stereotype at all. Please, please.....Im so sorry if I came across that way, it was not intentional at all.
Also, it is true that my MIL does retreat into her own world when anything stressfull is occuring. She is not always like this, but it happens.
here are some facts about her:
She is extremely intelligent. Math is her strong point, and she is constantly working puzzles and sudoku. she has very little understanding about others' feelings. She retreats into her own world when there is a group discussion-family or otherwise. When she does talk to everyone, its usually unappropriate. She asks questions that I would assume someone of her age would already understand. this part has always puzzled me. She is very fixated on certain topics. To the point that when a person tries to retreat from the topic, she follows them room to room still talking about it. She knows prices of everything---she can tell you what the gas prices are at every gas station in this town. She seems to have a very strong sense of "justice", she feels that she is being "ripped-off" by everyone. She follows strict routine, and is ALWAYS busy. She has a very distinct sounding voice as well. She speaks in this deep monotone, and does have the robotic sound mentioned, she sounds like she is talking flat and her voice cant go beyond it. That part has always been hard on her, because people have made fun of her for it. She also stands too close when she talks to you. This is to the point its uncomfortable for others. There are so many more things.
Her husband is very unloving to her. He said that he gave up on her. She goes to the doctor (neurologist) every month, but he is such a jerk to her....he doesn't even take time to listen to what is happening. I want to go with her to see him next month with some of the information that I have read. I dont know if she has aspergers syndrome or not. But when I read about it, something inside of me just said, this explains everything. I appreciate everyone listening to me, and if this thread needs to be moved, that's okay too.
blessings to everyone here,
Suanne
You didn't offend me. There are lots of negative stereotypes and misunderstandings about the autism spectrum so people kind of react badly when they perceive such things here.
I think AS is a possibility. But I also think the issues you are describing could be attributed to other things as well. I do not know much about deafness, but if someone were legally deaf would they not be prone to standing close to people and not knowing when a conversation ended, or might have a funny voice? That's one idea.
Epilepsy is actually common in autistics. It is also possible she is autistic but if so, I think there is probably more going on than autism. The main incident in your post seems indicative of something other than autism to me. I know epilepsy can be of a disassociative type.
These are all just things to consider. I think when someone reads about autism and recognizes a person immediately in it and very strongly, they are usually right.
22 Nov 2010, 2:51 pm
