Is it 'normal' for some individuals on the spectrum....

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.....to have severe difficulties processing and absorbing spoken information?

I am currently working as an admin apprentice for the NHS, but my inability to follow verbal instructions is quite frankly embarrassing. My boss briefly updated the admin team on certain changes that are due to come in effect in the immediate future, yet I didn't retain a word he said. I don't how I can work in such a role when such as issue continues to arise. I am beginning to believe I am intellectually handicapped.

Yes. Having difficulties processing verbal instruction/information is common among autistic people.

I guess I should have said 'common' instead of 'normal'. Is such a learning deficit classed as an auditory processing disorder then?

I know I shouldn't feel sorry for myself but it's quite demoralising knowing that the majority of individuals I encounter will have a greater learning capacity than me.

I have this problem. It happens when I am forced to listen to lectures or when I am in the middle of something and I am interrupted and when someone talks to me and I am not even interested in what they are saying and the words quickly leave my brain. It is a problem. I also can't listen to verbal instructions and I need them written down and I sometimes need a visual, not be told how to do something, be shown how.

I have issues with verbal instructions if there is anything else going on around me, I can do passably well in lectures since there tends to be just one noise and thing going on, if I'm lucky.

I've found that most people don't like it when you recall they said five minutes ago that contradicts what they just said.

Could you use a dictaphone or something similar to record work meetings so you have a record of what was said.

I think that that IS a "thing" among folks on the spectrum. Having trouble retaining verbal directions. I probably have a bit of it.

I would rather draw a crude map then have to remember a sequence of driving directions.

I have difficulties with this. It's one of my biggest issues. I spend a lot of time nodding like I understand what's been said when I haven't got a clue in reality. It can be verbal commands/information/etc or just general conversations where people are explaining scenarios or situations. If I had to put a percentage of what I do or don't understand I would say 50%, where I don't have an idea and I just choose an appropriate response based on what I believe the conversation is about. I always thought I was just really stupid.

I find myself getting tight and nervous just reading these replies. I feel so stupid when I can't do what somebody told me to do.

Yes it is normal. Aspies seem to have very poor short term memory, but excellent long-term memory. This means that carrying out simple verbal instructions can be difficult. I find it pays to write everything down.

It's something I want to overcome. It's my main issue, and mostly the 'curse' part of my AS. (Never mind anxiety, sensory issues, depression -- I figured those out)

And other factors why I couldn't didn't helped. (Sinusitis prevents me from focusing)

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What one or more of my friends say to me: "Dinner and a DVD movie night? Sure, let's do it! I am busy for the next few days, but see if you can call me after that and we can discuss when and where we can get together. But, not on Tuesday, I am out of town then."

What I hear one or more of my friends say to me: "Dinner or a DVD movie in the next few days? Call me before then or on Tuesday, and we can discuss when and where we can get together before I am out of town."

For me, especially when I am tired or mixing up what I hear, my thoughts can get conflated often. A more direct version of their statement such as "Call me early on Monday, and we will do dinner and the DVD movie that night" is a lot easier to understand and remember.

And, yes, I mix up my thoughts a lot.

I used to as a kid. I used to read into the basic command.

For example, when I was in Year 1 I was asked to take something up to another class. The teacher who told me to do that didn't tell me to come back and I took it as "I can do anything I want to after the task is done". The teacher came back up ten minutes later to find me reading atlases and gave me the third degree!

It's my primary non-social issue. I take notes to get everything down, sadly some people with autism also have issues with taking notes.