Ask someone with Asperger's syndrome.

[GrandizerII]

If there is something about Asperger's or other autism disorders that you have been pondering a lot and just never got a clear answer to, or you want to know something specific about my own experience with Asperger's, then ask away. I want to see how good my answers can get.

[polymath257]

To what extent do people with spectrum disorders in childhood 'grow out' of them?

Looking back, I think I was on the spectrum as a kid (and maybe still am), but I am much more social now. I had to *decide* to pay attention to social cues.

[Rev. Rye]

In my experience, it’s more a matter of learning to mask and compensating for the disorder than growing out of it. Also, on that note, why didn’t I think of this?

[GrandizerII]

To what extent do people with spectrum disorders in childhood 'grow out' of them?

Looking back, I think I was on the spectrum as a kid (and maybe still am), but I am much more social now. I had to *decide* to pay attention to social cues.

Depends on what you mean by "growing out" of autism spectrum disorders. I know, from personal experience and observation of some others, that it is highly possible for someone with autism (especially high-functioning) to become better (with the passage of time and experience and insight) at picking up on social cues, to empathize socially, to develop a better Theory of Mind, to display the "right" body language and have good presentation -- or, in other words, generally become better at hiding characteristic traits they used to "helplessly" display when younger.

But such improvements do seem to require quite some reflection and training (whether it's by oneself or with guidance from others), and as Tony Attwood (an expert on autism) argues, even when people with autism do become better at socializing with others, they use intellectual means to do so, rather than doing so in a flexibly intuitive manner like neurotypicals do.

An example I can give you about myself.

When I was a kid and later an adolescent, I used to be really, really bad at making eye contact with people. Then, after repeatedly being told to make eye contact with people when interacting with them, I started making the decision to make eye contact anytime I interacted with people. The first many times, whether it was practice with family or in real life, I would do it wrong and either stare intently at the person's face without looking away every now and then or awkwardly move my eyes away from their face just to "tell" them that I wasn't intending to be creepy, lol. Eventually, I became better at it. I've learned to "soften" my facial expression and to blink and not focus too much on one spot on the face or whatever, but I still struggle regardless, and I know that neurotypicals don't have to struggle with any or much of that. And it takes a lot of mental energy, so eventually, I have to withdraw to some isolated spot in order to recover before going back to socialize (when I have to).

I could also go on about social smile as well (and other social difficulties), but I guess the above example is enough for illustration.

So, in my opinion, I think it's most likely that such a person will never completely grow out of this condition, but with training, some of us can certainly become a lot better at hiding our autism from the public.

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In my experience, it’s more a matter of learning to mask and compensating for the disorder than growing out of it. Also, on that note, why didn’t I think of this?

You're free to answer questions here as well.

[brewer]

Other than social interactions did/do you exhibit any other signs/symptoms?

Did you receive any specialized treatment?

What do you do for a living?

[GrandizerII]

Other than social interactions did/do you exhibit any other signs/symptoms?

Well, as a kid, I used to memorize children's books just for the sake of it. I have pretty good rote memory (or at least I used to back in my younger days).

Special interests, lots of them when I was a kid. I used to go crazy with certain topics (like Greek mythology) to the point that even the most mundane bits of details were considered with care. Nowadays, my interests are in such things as psychology, philosophy, and religion, but I no longer have this obsession with topics that I once had in the past, so it's relatively normal now.

As a kid, I also used to write down all sorts of lists (from simple lists like names of planets in the Solar System, to the list of names of every basketball player in every basketball team that played in the basketball league in my homecountry, to the list of all countries in the world, with their respective capital cities).

I have struggles with practical common sense. Example: Not intuiting that you have to pull up that flexible part of a syringe before you can then push down on it.

I don't have sensitivity issues (except with perhaps with touch on certain parts of my body, but it's nothing major).

Also, terrible with words. And I don't mean just in conversations with others. I can't even tell myself a good long funny story without hitting lots of long pauses in between. The best I can do is spurt out a few brief sentences at a time when speaking. Otherwise, I need to prepare a script beforehand and memorize it before I can tell a story properly.

I speak rather slowly. But that's to do with socializing anyway.

That's all I can think of for now.

Did you receive any specialized treatment?

Not for autism specifically. I was born in the early 80s when high-functioning autism was not yet widely recognized, and all my social awkwardness was attributed to me being simply shy and quiet. But I do remember going regularly after school hours to a speech therapist with my mother when I was a little kid.

What do you do for a living?

Automated testing (currently part-time, but full-time very soon). And casually, do cleaning for schools.

[brewer]

Have you every taken the online diagnostic tests? If yes, did you find them accurate?

Have you been treated with medication? If yes, did it help?

[Rev. Rye]

I have taken the online diagnostic tests. It seems about right.

There is no medication for Autism. The anxiety that often accompanies it can be treated, although, in my experience, it doesn't so much remove the anxiety as weaken the body so it can't do anything about it.

[GrandizerII]

Have you every taken the online diagnostic tests? If yes, did you find them accurate?

Have you been treated with medication? If yes, did it help?

I have taken some online diagnostic tests, and have consistently gotten the result that I am likely on the spectrum. And yes, I did generally find them accurate, though obviously they're not at all sufficient for a proper diagnosis.

Nope, no medication whatsoever. I'm wary of them. I don't want that potential to make things worse for my brain and/or body.

[brewer]

I have taken the online diagnostic tests. It seems about right.

There is no medication for Autism. The anxiety that often accompanies it can be treated, although, in my experience, it doesn't so much remove the anxiety as weaken the body so it can't do anything about it.

Actually there is, but is limited to treatment of specific symptoms. The adverse effects often outweigh the benefits.

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Have you every taken the online diagnostic tests? If yes, did you find them accurate?

Have you been treated with medication? If yes, did it help?

I have taken some online diagnostic tests, and have consistently gotten the result that I am likely on the spectrum. And yes, I did generally find them accurate, though obviously they're not at all sufficient for a proper diagnosis.

Nope, no medication whatsoever. I'm wary of them. I don't want that potential to make things worse for my brain and/or body.

It was the 80's after all, had to ask.

You spoke about learning appropriate eye contact. Are there other behaviors you had to learn (unlearn) or things that you do daily to help you get along?