Do people really see us as children?

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People patronizing you comes with the territory.

My outer child topic

I am in my mid fifties but I am patronized as soon as anyone hears me speak, or discovers i am AS (as in those in the medical profession, soical services, etc.).

I get the Your a "adult child" a lot and it makes me mad.

I am very immature and I feel like a young child quite often. And with girls my own age I feel younger than them. I do go out on my own when I feel like it though and if I feel like going shopping or swimming I just catch a bus to there so I'm independant that way. I often feel scared when I think about having responsibilties when I'm older as I feel it will take years for me to reach 15 inside even though I'm 16 now.

I haven't seen that movie, but some people treat me like a child and I have heard people make comments about aspies being childlike.

I guess the reasons are many, such as that our social skills are in many ways at a similar level as children's social skills. Another reason could be that aspies are often as honest as children and don't filter their thoughts. Some aspies like playing with toys and such, so I guess that is yet another reason. I have also noticed that people start treating me like a child if they have witnessed me having a meltdown.

I hate being treated like a child. I am not a child even though certain traits might remind people of children.

I personally don't think that someone who plays with toys, watches cartoons and does other things like that that children do is a child themselves. It is entirely possible to be an adult and still enjoy some of the same things as children.

I am able to live independently, I have a good job, I'm married, I'm intelligent and I can handle all my adult responibilities fine (actually better than any neurotypical in my family) and I behave like an adult. But when I'm at home I like doing many things that some people consider childish. I don't care if someone thinks it's silly for an adult to play with lego or sleep with a plush animal. I do it anyway and enjoy it. It doesn't mean that I want or need to be treated like a child.

I get "adult baby" from my husband

He thinks I'm role playing but that's good anyway he thinks that and he doesn't mind it. It be a problem if he had a problem with it. My ex did the same thing with me and viewed me as a baby 18/7 and he had a problem with it. However my husband doesn't view me as a child due to my aspie traits because it's part of my condition. I bet normal people would.

I still see myself as an 8 yo kid (office desk littered with star wars/trek ships, droid parts) the way I talk, act, IM (two bosses said I IM like a 12-yo kawaii girl).

Now that I have 2 kids, my wife is bringing it more and more to my attention. I like it.

My grandfather is just like me (or vice versa) - he's 90, looks 70 and acts like he's 8 when we're together

No, they don't. People see us as individuals who are unable to function, socialize, communicate at a level standard to our age groups, so they lower themselves to our level. They are treating you like idiots, not children. They see you as idiots, not children. It is not endearing, it is patronizing.

I think I experience a sense of arrested development in some aspects - which I kinda attribute to wanting to make up for lost time. In teens and early adulthood social confusion, and other traits, led to missing out on alot of things. These days I have renewed interest in younger day things such as current musical trends, working on my CD collection, and attending rock concerts - stuff I hadn't done for almost 20 years. I even tried travel to other continents, but it doesn't really interest me -all strange places are the same. Some type of mid-life crisis may also be at play here, but I think it's more about acting my mental age (around 18 I think), instead of chronological (41), and trying not to grow old too fast, which can happen when you spend to much time alone and never go out. By this I don't mean acting immature, but trying to exist in a comfort zone.

A related question, do you think that AS people tend to view younger people as children because they don't notice what's behind the physical appearance as easily? I've caught myself at this, and have to remind myself that they are adults too even if 10 or 20 years younger, and try and treat them accordingly. The only difference is naivite/lack of experience but still they are fully rational and don't think of themselves as children.

I'm 34, ,but I don't look like it and I don't feel like it emotionally. I feel more at about the age of 12 -17. Kind of like everything stopped at the age when I could no longer keep up with the social games, that people iin society play.

oops. I meant 35. I just had a birthday this month. See... I can't even rememer my age. When I am asked my age, I have to stop and think, and many times, especially since I look underage, it makes me look like I am lying about my age, when I am not.

Well. Dickheads view us as children

it's one thing to be childish, and another to be childlike. one drains, and the other revitalizes. one gets laughed at, the other laughed with. it's not that you act your age, but how.

I am seen as quite a child, as I have no friends, and just adore love to spoil my pets, as a child would. Apparently, I'm irresponsible, although my supervisor it seems is always complimenting me on how efficient and responsible I am. As do my co workers.

I will say yes and no. My partner does treat me like a child somewhat, and so do many people I meet. Intellectually people know that is not the case. In alot of ways I do get treated like an adult child and I am seen as one. I don't see it as a bad thing because it doesn't bother me alot.

My bosses treat me as a baby. This is very annoying. This is one of the reasons I won’t respect them.
If you are a manager anyway, get over it!
I do look younger.