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sparkler22
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21 Dec 2009, 4:35 pm

Are hypochondriac tendencies at all typical of autism-spectrum kids?

My 12-year-old stepson (Asperger's, nonverbal learning disorder) just seems to continue to amp up the drama in that department. Every little bump and bruise is a huge production.. he whines about not feeling well endlessly.. he always thinks he has a fever... he's always cold.. his thoat always hurts... the 1/2 in cut he has on his pinky is the worst cut ever in the history of the world... we take him to doctors; nothing's wrong. When he DOES have a real issue (he's had swollen tonsils and ear infections), he'll complain endlessly about it to people, farfarfar past when the issue actually exists.

It bores people. It ticks people off. He just doesn't get it. We don't know if it's an attention-getting thing or what, but it sucks in that department because the attention he gets for it is pretty much negative. It also sucks because we never know whether he's really not feeling well or not.

Extra note: til he was 9, he lived with his hyper-dysfunctional mother, who's a major hypochondriac/medication-seeker. She's take him to the doctor for a cold or a bruise. So, we're sure some it it learned behavior, but.. help?



gramirez
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21 Dec 2009, 5:16 pm

I've been a life-long hypochondriac. I'm also extremely paranoid of getting sick.


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22 Dec 2009, 11:58 am

It could be learned from his mom, It could be his way to get people to notice him or he could just be extra sensitive. I myself have feeling in my finger and toe nails. Strange but alot of people on my Biodads have the same thing so I know I'm not crazy. My youngest son has the opposite and has needed stiches before or had a very bad infection and never even noticed. I hope this mudlled post helps alittle best of luck with your family. :)



DW_a_mom
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22 Dec 2009, 11:52 pm

Falling to one extreme or another seems to be typical of AS. So, my AS husband is a bit hypocondriac (he's learned over time) and my AS son has to be falling over from weakness to admit something is wrong.


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Mom to an amazing young adult AS son, plus an also amazing non-AS daughter. Most likely part of the "Broader Autism Phenotype" (some traits).


DW_a_mom
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22 Dec 2009, 11:52 pm

Falling to one extreme or another seems to be typical of AS. So, my AS husband is a bit hypocondriac (he's learned over time) and my AS son has to be falling over from weakness to admit something is wrong.


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Mom to an amazing young adult AS son, plus an also amazing non-AS daughter. Most likely part of the "Broader Autism Phenotype" (some traits).


DW_a_mom
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22 Dec 2009, 11:52 pm

Falling to one extreme or another seems to be typical of AS. So, my AS husband is a bit hypocondriac (he's learned over time) and my AS son has to be falling over from weakness to admit something is wrong.


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Mom to an amazing young adult AS son, plus an also amazing non-AS daughter. Most likely part of the "Broader Autism Phenotype" (some traits).


Little_Professor
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24 Dec 2009, 2:54 pm

I have AS and I am a mild hypochondriac, but I am also an "expert" at physiology (the study of the human body). I'd tell him that humans have had over 2 BILLION years where evolution has perfected us. If everyone got sick all the time, we would go extinct. Cuts and bruses are only dangerous if it hurts so much that you can't complain about it. As for getting sick, our bodies have HUNDREDS of defences just to keep out the "little invaders." Tell him that his body has evolved to be a highly efficient healer, a high performance engine, and an ultra-high quality "germ defence machine." Tell him that his bones arn't broken unless he can't move his arm at all.
Hope this helps.
Merry X-mass. :-)