I have a four-year-old Autie, and I say that if you're going to be different, the autism spectrum is a pretty cool kind of different to be. It's basically a nerd with a diagnosis.searanox said:
It's a matter of degree. I, for instance, break out into a cold sweat if I have to make a telephone call to someone I don't know well. I can still do it, I just don't like to. Also, I'm neurotic as hell about crazy shit, like the way the dishwasher is loaded, or whether my food touches. My kid, on the other hand, will literally go thirsty if we don't have the right brand of juice boxes. He has a significant language delay and is actually, cognitively unable to comprehend figurative speech at an age-appropriate level. ("Sit up" is really confusing to him; you have to say, "put your bottom on the chair and your feet on the floor.")
Rule of thumb: If it impairs you socially or professionally, you might be an Aspie. If you're weird but can generally deal with it, you probably don't fit the bill. Either way, if you've made it this far without a diagnosis, getting one now probably won't help you much (except perhaps psychologically, if that's an issue.)
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