QUESTION: Physical Traits?

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Do people with autism have physical traits. I never thought so but I have heard they did.

I'm talking about appearance, not things like physical-behivour (self-injury, fine motor skills, etc.)

I have heard, big eyes, big head, pale skin, low facial muscle tone. I don't know what low facial muscle tone means, but I have an average sized-round head and big eyes and I don't have pale skin.

I think any physical traits would be associated with Fragile X syndrome, but I could be wrong.

Are these good examples of low facial muscle tone?

There are probably too many different genetic causes or other causes to come to any conclusion on physical traits at this point. Like someone pointed out, Fragile X (which is associated with autism) has clear physical traits.

I don't think I fit any of the large head/eyes stereotypes/physical traits but I have really unusual gait.

Everyone I've seen with autism looks different, just like in the general population.

The only symptom I have is big eyes, I know that I don't have fragile-X syndrome because I was tested for it. Of course, NTs can have big eyes too. I don't have a big head though.

Attached ear lobes is another.

"Low muscle tone" (hypotonia) means the muscles have a lower than usual resistance to stretching, so in this case the facial muscles appear less firm than in most people.

None of these physical characteristics are particularly extreme, so they don't distinguish from people who do not have autism and have very little value in diagnosis.

I've noticed that many of the Aspie people I see in Asperger facebook groups have larger or rounder heads than NTs. However, I have also seen some Aspies who don't have large heads and physically don't look any different from NTs.

I'm 23 but look 16 and aparently it's common with people with AS. I also have scolosis but I think that's due to neglect as an infant and not being carried properly.

This sounds like hooey to me. Sort of like phrenology. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrenology

Yeah, I never thought that they, but then I read that they did and I was really confused.

My head seems to be large and round.

I still get I'd with people thinking I'm under 18 when I'm now 34 [and well built].
Lack of 'laughter' lines etc..... very smooth skin.

My physical traits can be equal to or better than an NT. But then again, its probably just my luck. I don't think HFA has too many physical differences, which makes it harder to tell if someone has it.

Though we often look younger than our age, autism and Asperger's, AFAIK, have not been linked to any particular physical appearance in terms of hair colour, skin tone, etc.

If you think otherwise, perhaps you should go into the thread for people to post pictures of themselves in the members only section and try to find some patterns. But we all seem to look different from I've seen.

I am pale, but it's mostly due to my ethnic origins and I'm pretty sure we can find black, mediterraneans, hispanic or asian aspies.

I have an average-size round head. My eyes are average too though some people think they are big (it's true that theirs are bigger in comparison but they also have a bigger head XD).

Only been diagnosed as a dyspraxic though.

But I really don't think that these points are good enough to describe anyone with Asperger or any neurological difference. I know that most of them are genetics (are believed to be and appear to be very hereditary) but I don't think that physical appearance is always different.

Fragile X Syndrome is different though. I is a well known cause of Autism which affect physical appearance in males (mostly in males) and it includes low muscle tones. (However, females are rarely affected physically since they have two Xs