The secret world of adult baby syndrome.

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I came across some research this morning and I scratched my head. Is this really an Aspie/or Autistic thing?

Clare Le Roux out of the University of Chester is looking into the topic:

How Might We Understand And Work Therapeutically In The Secretive World Of Autistic Clients With Adult Baby Syndrome and Adult Baby Diaper Loving?

The word that caught my attention was "Autistic". Is this primarily an Aspie thing? First I heard about it.

According to Wikipedia:

Paraphilic infantilism, also known as autonepiophilia, psychosexual infantilism, and adult baby syndrome is a sexual fetish that involves role-playing a regression to an infant-like state. Behaviors may include drinking from a bottle or wearing diapers (diaper fetishism). Individuals may engage in gentle and nurturing experiences (an adult who engages only in infantile play is known as an adult baby), or be attracted to masochistic, coercive, punishing or humiliating experiences. Diaper fetishism involves "diaper lovers" wearing diapers for sexual or erotic reasons but may not involve infant-like behavior. Individuals who experience both of these things are referred to as adult baby/diaper lovers (AB/DL). When wearing diapers, infantilists may urinate and/or defecate in them.

The goal of her research is:

The aims of this research are to explore the reasons why some people with autism have ABS/ABDL, determine the most appropriate ways of supporting them therapeutically, try and gain some insight into why ABS/ABDL is a sensory need for some clients with autism. It is hoped that the research will generate more insight into ways of working therapeutically with clients who have learning disabilities (specifically autism) and who have a desire to follow ABS/ABDL.

Any thoughts on the subject? I know many of us find pleasure in having stuffed animals, but this seems radically different.

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Generally I have observed that no item is too controversial to be ignored by the WP community. We get into discussing the weirdest topics online. I tend to think Adult Baby Syndrome is not related to autism at least not in any percentage greater than in the NT community.

I almost feel that tying Adult Baby Syndrome to Autism tends to dehumanize autistics. Adult babies roleplaying as a baby or small child for erotic stimulation is considered the signature expression of paraphilic infantilism. This may involve the use of adult-sized diapers and baby clothes or toys and furniture such as a crib to lend reality to the infantilist fantasy, crawling on the floor, and some individuals may urinate or defecate in their diapers.

It just doesn't sound Aspie to me. What are your thoughts?

Well never heard of it being an aspie thing per say.

That said according to some program I was watching can't remember what it was, there was an episode where they interviewed an 'adult baby' guy and for him it was not sexual at all. So based on that I would imagine its not necessarily a sexual fetish, but I have heard of it being that as well.

Seemed for that guy it was more just comforting for him and he wasn't interested in it being a sexual thing. I thought it was weird but to each their own so long as they aren't hurting people. The main thing I could not figure out is it seems he spent a lot of time being in his 'baby mode' but also made his own large adult sized high chair, his own adult size crib and it was even showing get a custom made baby onesie. So IDK how he makes a living, whilst spending so much time on that.

There was a young guy on Dr. Phil like that. Half of a couple. The girl fed him in a high chair, and changed his diapers. In the course of the several shows about the couple she broke up with him. And he stayed in the infantile lifestyle. And they check up on him at intervals. Havent watch Dr. Phil for a while though. Don't know what happened to that guy since.

The only person I have known with that behavior had spina bifida and mild ID.

I do know people with autism and other disabilities who will deliberately urinate, defecate and smear feces, but I am not sure there is any deliberate infantilism going on. More like either sensory or attention getting.

I didn’t like being a baby, a child, or an adolescent.

Babies sometimes don’t like it either. That’s why they cry so much.

I like adulthood so much better.

Can you imagine the skin diseases one could get better if one walks around in a dirty diaper.

Deliberately being a baby is certainly not an autistic thing.

My thoughts exactly. So why are we wasting valuable research dollars on this topic?

Just adding this to the discussion .

https://community.autism.org.uk/f/adult ... ---nappies

Interesting! It appears that the methods employed were derived by a psychologist treating Aspies in Great Britain along with the CPN (part of a mental health team) along with a patient as a self-soothe strategy over 4 years ago. Others may have been using this technique over 6 years ago. In the case of those on the AS spectrum, it is not a fetish. Rather it is designed to provide comfort for those on the AS and makes them feel safe, like a young infant in the arms of its mother. It appears to be designed as a coping mechanism to prevent a person from getting so overwhelmed and sliding into a panic attack.

For those outside the Great Britain, in order to understand the lingo:
nappies = diapers
dummy = pacifier
changing mat = diaper changing mat

I find adult babies rather disturbing.

NIH published a study awhile back showing a higher incidence of fetishes and non traditional sexual identity among the Spectrum population in comparison to neurotypical counterparts. Ageplay falls into the Paraphillic category. I don't care for sex, but I think maybe it has to do with the rule structure of some fetishes. Dunno.

This topic tends to come up a lot in both the autism and ABDL community. While I am part of both(More DL than AB) I never considered it a part of being on the spectrum and just an entirely separate thing. I wonder why other fetishes are never mentioned though or people try to relate it to autism?

Me personally I wear for comfort reasons, such as feeling safe, it makes me feel more my age mentally(mentally I feel like I'm 15-17 sometimes younger), and the material feels much better than regular underwear(it feels snug like a hug which might help with sensory issues). When I don't wear I always feel like a part of me is missing.

Can't speak for the AB side, have to ask someone more into that side than me.

Anyway, maybe it has something to do with autism and our brains developing differently(and slower for some).

I am curious as to what they mean by "help therapeutically". Do they mean help with coping and not feeling ashamed about their wanting to wear or do they want to try and get people to get rid of it all together? Cause the first one I'm cool with, if it's the latter then miss me with that noise.

AB/DL is not an insignificant part of the kink community. I have met a number of people who identify as AB or "littles" and gotten to know a few. I can't say I understand what makes it work for them but some seem to be looking for the release from responsibility and the feeling of safety when they have an adult caring for them while they are in their "little" space its not really a sexual fetish at all but it leads to "Daddy dom / baby girl" relationships (I can kinda get this but not sure why it has to be regressive). There are others I have met for which it is much more of a fettish and they can only function sexually within this type of role play (YKINMK but that is okay). Now that I think about it I know one of the folks I've met was AS and some of the others likely were as well. There is a lot of diversity in our neurodiverse world.

The topic looked ridiculous. Why is this a thing? Possibly another route to waste research $$$$$$?

Well it obviously isn’t solely an aspie thing but it might be likely to occur in autistic individuals. Probably because there’s a lot of pressure on autistics (particularly aspies) to ignore our needs and live to serve others. People don’t take our different needs seriously, so perhaps aspies like pretending to be infants so their partner has to care about them and their helplessness.

Sorry btw I don’t know what’s happened to my writing skills.

At least one WP member has reported having a diaper fetish. Not sure if that's what you're talking about.