Why do people on the spectrum look young for their age?

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I'm 38.
I look like a teenager.
And a young one at that (was asked for ID to get into a 15 certificate film at the cinema not that long ago).

I am a terrible judge of how old people are by looking at them, so I never make assumptions. Yet people are forever assuming I'm significantly younger than I am - even after I have told them how old I am!!

It has to do with social growth. It's our peer groups who really shape us. All though yes family will be family, it's really the people around us that help us grow. A lack of a social environment creates stunted growth. I cannot remember where that article is, but I read an article on this. I'm short in stature and haven't aged much because of a lack of a peer group.

Here's another article too: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/ ... eandhealth

That can answer the question. All though that's my about family environment. Anyway, social exteriour factors effect our external factors of growth.

I find I experience quite the opposite. People tend to guess I'm older than I am. These days guesses are a few years over, but when I had a goatee it was way worse. I had one time back in my early 20s someone said I looked to be in my late 30s.

I'm 27 and I've had a lot of people in the last year or so tell me that I look 16 or 17.

Could be related to the vitamin D theory of autism. Low vit D = low testosterone = look younger. Ever notice that kids are not playing outside anymore? Helicopter parents combined with TV/Computer/Video Games mean less time outside and no vitamin D absorption. Plus people are paranoid about skin cancer and they wear tons of sunblock. Are intelligent, asperger types more likely to spend time indoors because of focused interests as well and thus lack adequate vitamin D? Here are some articles about vitamin D and autism:

Vitamin D Deficiency cause autism

Link Autism and Vitamin D

It is known that there are higher than average rates of autism among Somali immigrants in Minnesota:

Minneapolis Autism

Autism rates are higher in rainy areas:

Autism higher in rainy areas

Hmm, well I actually did the obsessive fitness thing (running/racing) in the 1980s. So that is not really the cause, either. I used to think maybe because my eyes being sensitive to light, I avoided the sun too much. Might be a smidge of truth in that. But I tend to get decent tans & love being out of doors in good weather (sometimes bad too!).
I really DO think its related to whatever gene helped contribute to my condition.
Of course, the whole swapped with normal human infant when my Fay parents decided not to raise me, or repay some debt in the convuluted laws of the sidhe still might apply.
LOL

Sincerely (except the last sentence),
Matthew

I've been told that I look 13 and I am 20. I'll be 21 this year. As for why we look younger a lot of the time, I have no idea.

This could be related to all of the harmful pesticides which are legal in America. 30 out of 37 pesticides are hormone disruptors. They are also neurotoxic, which could be responsible for the rise in autism.

im 32 pass for 26

Hmm...
Good question.
I have no idea.
When I was a child and young teenager, people thought I was older, I once even didn't get a cheaper bus-trip on holidays because the bus driver thought I was older than I actually was (and I and my parents forgot to take my school ID card with me to prov that), the driver was stubborn and we had to pay more in the end... Maybe the way I acted and behaved influenced people's judgement on my age.

I don't know how it is now. There is a fair chance that the card turned - or not. Maybe it became neutral by now, family members who didn't see me in ages and are not as close as my closest relatives (thus forget my age) can judge my age fairly well by now.
Honestly, I don't know, simply because I don't go to locations where you are being judged by age (like clubs) anyway and because my contact with other people (in person) decreased.

I am 27yrs old and always get asked if i am over 18...everyone says i have a baby face..it was even stated when i got diagnosed that i looked much younger than my age... maybe an AS thing!

I have been able to grow a full beard since I was 16 so people always thought I was older. Now I don't know.