Aspies look younger than they are?

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Is it normal for aspies, and possibly others in the ASD, to look physically younger than they actually are? I've noticed that people are always surprised when I tell them my age. I walked into a Marine Corps recruiters office (about 22 at the time) after serving four years, and they thought I was still in high school and was looking to join; they didn't believe me when I told them I already did a tour.

So is it normal? Is it something to do with a lack of facial expression giving the face a more youthful appearance?

same here. I have always looked way younger than I was, I still do, and I'm 20. It was annoying, but later in life it will be an advantage
I also think it might be linked to facial expression.

I'm 25 and people think I am 18. It's nice, but it has it's disadvantages. No one ever takes me seriously and I get treated like a kid and babied a lot. I think I am just going to let all of my gray hairs grow in. To see if that has any effect on peoples perception of me. Maybe then I'll finally be treated like an adult.

I'm 22 and people think I'm 18. It's really annoying but I'm hoping it will pay off later in life. It would be nice to look 30 while 50.

It is the only physical trait I have heard except for possibly red hair.

I don't think that applies to me ^^"

In high school, people thought I was my own sister's father, when I picked her up from middle school. And throughout my high school life everyone who saw me with my mom thought she was my girlfriend ._.

It was funny though, we had a couple of laughs after that

I got carded the other day, going into a rated PG 13 movie.

I'll be 24 in 13 days. >.<

I think that's partly because I'm short, though.
I think most women would be happy if someone needed proof they were over 18, but...middle school aged?

I am going to be 35 this year and I got carded for tobacco last week. My husband and I went to the beach last fall and a younger person at a store we were shopping in thought we were in our mid 20s (my husband is 37 and I have suspicions that he is on the spectrum as well).

Hello!

I'll be 50 next month, but look more like 40. I suppose it COULD have to do with AS,
which, I guess, makes it less of a 'disorder'...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

I've always been told that I look younger than I am.

Yup. Strangers and even people I know have thought that my younger cousin (who's 12) was my older sister. I'm 15 AND the oldest out of my siblings!! -_____-

I'm 39 and last month someone asked me how old I am. I told them to guess (love doing that!) and they said late 20s...

There are couple of reasons why aspies will look younger.

flat expressions = smooth unwrinkled foreheads.

wearing comfortable casual clothes (e.g. trainers, t-shirts, track suits etc.), rather than more formal age appropriate wear.

I also have no tattoos and wear no jewellery except a wedding ring. I wouldn't dream of any accessories or irrelevant items, so I look very decluttered.

I do look quite young for my age, but I'm not sharing a photo. I was carded the other week for alcohol, I'm 33 and the drinking age is 18, so pretty good going

Jason.

I have exactly the same issue. I am 19 years old and people say that I look about 12/13. I too am hoping it will pay off later in life because right now it can get really annoying.

Interesting, I'm 23 and throughout all my life people have always thought that I'm much younger :-S It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'm only 1.66m (5'5"), but who knows? Maybe it's an aspie thing

e.g: When I was job-hunting after graduation interviewers would always say "Are you really a lawyer? But you look so young!"; also, I usually sport facial hair (chinstrap), so whenever I shave people at work tell me I look like a child :-S