Does this sound like Asperger's?
Hello! I have a 14-year-old step-daughter who I believe may be showing signs of Asperger's. Due to our family situation, however, I have not been able to properly voice my concerns to my husband. Before I proceed with doing so, I was curious what other's opinions may be. Her "symptoms" include the following.
She recently cut a large portion of her hair off of the side of her head. When asked about it, she claimed it was tangled, however, there were large clumps of hair found in the bathroom trash can with no tangles in them. She had no desire to get her hair "fixed" after the cutting incident. This was the first time she has done this in a few years, but she used to cut her hair in the past by giving herself extremely short (approximately an inch long) bangs.
She recently ate an entire bag of chocolates that was hidden in our pantry. This was about 20 large pieces of chocolate consumed in about an hour while we were not home. She frequently sneaks candy, junk food and sweets into her room (we find wrappers hidden around her room) and refuses to eat a normal, healthy meal at the table.
On that note, she rarely leaves her room and when she does, will run back to it upon encountering a family member (she is this way at the other house she stays at as well). She sneaks out when no one is around to get food.
She constantly talks to herself in varying voices. There have been several times I have thought that she was on the telephone or had someone with her when she was alone in her room. Conversations are carried on as if someone is actually there.
She will not use soap, shampoo or toothpaste. For instance, she was in the bathroom with the shower running for approximately thirty minutes last night, however, my husband happened to notice her shampoo bottle in her room during this time (and we are not sure why it was even in there). She has braces and is having problems with plaque buildup and tooth decay due to poor/no brushing.
Socially, she tends to keep to herself, but has had some issues with inappropriately texting girls over the course of the past few years. She also snuck one of these girls into our home.
These are just a few of the more major things we've dealt with. I have biological daughters of my own and they do not act like this, so I'm not sure if this is just "normal" teenage behavior that I am not used to or something more. I've suggested counseling for her to my husband numerous times, but he is adamantly against it. I've honestly suspected something was "off" for several years and suggested testing upon my first initial concerns, but it turned ugly (my husband was very offended) and it has been the elephant in the room since. Is there anything else I can do? We are parenting the best we can, it's just hard when I really think there is an underlying issue. Thanks!
mr_bigmouth_502
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Perhaps, she needs psychiatric care.
I don't feel that she is especially "Aspergian." You did not mention one salient symptom of the "disorder."
I wish you luck in the future with her.
I think it's possible she has sensory issues, as well as a restricted diet; both of which are common symptoms of autism spectrum disorders.
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ASPartOfMe
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I agree strongly she needs the help of a professional.
Common traits
All of the traits listed above can be caused by other conditions.
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DSM 5: Autism Spectrum Disorder, DSM IV: Aspergers Moderate Severity
“My autism is not a superpower. It also isn’t some kind of god-forsaken, endless fountain of suffering inflicted on my family. It’s just part of who I am as a person”. - Sara Luterman
nick007
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Like the previous posters said~ it sounds like she needs psych help & it could be something other than Aspergers, especially if you haven't really noticed issues when she was younger. It could be something like schizophrenia.
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