How do you recognise someone with aspergers?

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How would someone see a child and recognisethat they may have aspergers, what would they be looking for?

In comparison, could someone look at someone with aspergers and notice that they have it? Or is it too well disguised by the time they are an adult?

It's a combination of lots of things really, and none of them are a definite indication of having AS.

I think that sort of thing is easier to spot in the context of other children - for instance, if the child is playing alone, or playing but not waiting their turn or considering the other children, or if they seem to be obsessed with a certain topic and keep talking about it, then they could have AS.

As for adults, it varies. With some people, you wouldn't know at all, whereas others might have a strange gait or way of speaking. A friend says that his mother thought I had it because of the way I spoke and moved, but didn't have a more elaborate explanation of what she meant than that.

I don't think there's any way of telling as far as appearance goes, though . . . and in all cases, I think you'd either have to know the person/child reasonably well, or at least have the opportunity to observe how they behave in various contexts.

Don't know about disguised as an adult. It was obvious to a retired special ed teacher I met. But she had years of experience. To the uninformed? I'm just weird.

In adults, some of the giveaways include toe-walking (causes a bouncy gait) or not swinging the arms, wearing sunglasses everywhere, covering the ears during loud noises like sirens, blank facial expression, monotone voice, lack of eye contact, stimming (rocking/hand wringing/hair twirling/fidgeting.) They may refuse to shake hands or hug, take great care to keep foods from touching on their plate, be very quiet in goup conversations (or, conversely, interrupt or monologue.) They may have a fashion sense that include the stereotypically "geek" items like glasses, digital watches, and fanny packs.

Of course, this doesn't describe every Aspie, but someone having all of these traits would raise my suspicions.

Talk about images that come into your head with certain phrases!! I'm English, 'fanny packs' took me a while to work out then

Talk about images that come into your head with certain phrases!! I'm English, 'fanny packs' took me a while to work out then

The surest way to identify people with aspergers is to ask them.

Yep. Many without can show signs or we can misinterpret the signs. We are not experts just because we are on the spectrum.

What are they called there? Or do they never appear on the fanny of an Englishperson?

LMAO Men don't have fannies in England.

I only have most, and some of them not completely (my facial expressions are muted, not blank, my voice isn't completely monotone but not very expressive, and I am inconsistent about how I hold my arms) but still.

I don't take great care to keep foods from touching on my plate, but I try to minimize it as much as possible. Also, I do hugs. And I do not care for stereotypically geek fashion.

Last edited by Verdandi on 22 Mar 2011, 1:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.

LOL! I forgot about the difference in American usage, there.

Wikipedia to the rescue! In the UK it's a "hip pack" or a "bum bag".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_pack

Last edited by arielhawksquill on 22 Mar 2011, 12:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Speaking as an NT in terms of adults with Aspergers, I notice when someone is different, but I may not know what is different right away - so I reserve judgment and behave as though nothing is different. It doesn't mean I didn't notice... I did notice.

With Aspies the more "autistic" they are on the spectrum - the more I can tell just by looking at their eyes. They seem to be looking far-away ALL THE TIME. Then other eccentricities may confirm my suspicion. If their Aspergers is very mild, it takes awhile to figure it out. Then it's usually their communication style that gives it away. For example, they may stay on topic - but have no interest or ability to stay within the social context of the topic... and they are abrupt. As an NT, when I'm talking with an Aspie, I feel like we're never really talking about the same thing... even though it sounds like we are.

Before my son was diagnosed - I knew he was different, and that his difference was very similar to other members of my family. I did not know it was Aspergers, and I did not know this difference was autism.

To me - his differences were apparent from birth. As a baby, he could not fall asleep without noise and has NEVER been able to sleep much. He was fascinated by flashing lights and fans. Even as a newborn - he loved TV. He made lots of noises; yelling, raspberries, laughing - but no babbling. When he started talking, he called mommy and daddy "mommy-daddy" as one word, and it applied to either mommy or daddy. He loves being touched and cuddled, but only mommy and daddy could touch him. Others would cause him to scream. As a pre-verbal baby, he screamed like he was being abused if a non-family member entered the house - but was fine with that same person as long as we talked and played with him on the front lawn. (This was apparently a "rule" he had as a baby - that only family was allowed in the house!) He was terrified of the dark and of being alone - but fearless when it came to heights, swimming pools, diving boards, and climbing. Haircuts were a nightmare - he acted like we were cutting him to pieces, not his hair. He loves company and friends - if they are focused on him. His curiosity about the world and how it works is insatiable.

I read up the symptoms are for AS and they are the same as what I think i have, I was never diagnosed and now I think I might have AS. many of the symptoms are I am a loner, cannot handle being around people except once in a while a couple of people, I am extremely sensitive to loud sounds like those loud of the zip cars with loud mufflers, I tend to talk nonestop about one topic all of the time. My ex has AS and when we were dating she noticed that I might have AS though she could not tell for sure because i was alaways taught to not say much. So what do you think do I have AS, I think I do but I am afraid to say anything

PDR1237 - I have no idea - but check out this test, it may give you more insight.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aqtest.html

I work at a health club, and there was a customer that came to the front desk to ask for a refund for a friend who lost their money in a soda machine. He was almost in a panic, and his friend came up and reassured him that it was OK, that he got his money. Because of the reaction over something that I consider small, and probably some other stuff I noticed unconsciously, I suspected something neurological. The second time he came in he was talking about a TV station he saw in the gym. He told me that he loved that channel and that he wanted to work for them he was so excited about it. At that time I started paying attention and really listening to him, suspecting AS. It just was a feeling I had. He had no movement or speech pattern I found different, I didn't notice any sensory issues, it was just his personality.

Over time I have gotten to know him and he is really a sweet guy, and he has not mentioned anything, however he has referred to his "gift" and how sometimes it's good and sometimes it's hard to live with, and he speaks some about how his mind works and how he thinks. (He is very comfortable with me.) He's obsessive and has told me he gets obsessive about things, he has eye contact about half the time and you can see him really working to look at you, he has an INCREDIBLE memory, particularly about dates and events and times, he's very specific, (I left at 6:02 and arrived at 7:36), his conversations are mostly one sided, sometimes it's reciprical but you really have to work at it and it has to be in his interest and the reciprical part is very brief. I'm sure there's more but I can't think of them right now. He is very social and loves people, and goes often where people are welcoming. Many people think he's a little too friendly and deal with him with caution, but I really believe he is totally harmless and a really nice person. He reminds me a lot of my son and I'm positive he has AS or some form of autism.

I secretly wish he would tell me he has AS because I would love to ask him questions, but I don't want to pry and I want to be respectful. I sometimes ask him questions, but not in that context. The previous poster mentioned asking the person, but I wonder if that would be rude? I sometimes wonder too if he knows that I know, but hasn't said anything since he is so open about how his mind works. He's only that way with me, not my other co workers.

He is the only adult that I have met with autism that I know of. My husband is the closest, but I don't think he would get a diagnosis.