Posted by IsoM on December 17, 2001, at 13:39:54
In reply to Re: Asperger's disorder, posted by borderliner21 on December 17, 2001, at 13:03:24
Asperger people do repetitive things too. It's not like the physical twitches & shrugs that I've seen in a friend with Tourette's but more doing the same thing over & over. My son will get a lock of hair & twist it repeatedly while he talks to me. When he was young, after every spoon of food he put in his mouth, he'd scrape the side of his mouth with the spoon as if he slopped a little even when there was nothing there. He'd do it so much he made it raw. There were many other repetitive things he'd do when young but has stopped most things. He'll still pull at his skin on his neck as he discusses things & I have to gently remind him not to. He can stop them when reminded but doesn't realise that he starts them. He's never blurted out comments or sounds like someone with Tourette's can.
One of the most interesting things I found when researching Asperger was many of those with it dislike close physical contact but crave something anyway. When I nursed him as a child, I could cuddle him but when he stopped nursing, I only could hold him when he was scared & ran to me for comfort. He can now hug me fine (he's 26) but dislike anyone else touching him, even a friendly hand on the shoulder. When he was young, to get the contact he'd wrap himself very tight in blankets & lay swaddled feeling a comfort from the confinement.
It's something I've read many do. One of the most famous people with Asperger is Temple Grandin, a professor who's actually lectured on it. When she was young, she made herself a device that enclosed her to get the relief without the cuddling.
People with Asperger will like other people or admire them, they may crave friendship but they wish to be alone alot. They rarely develop a "love" for anyone other than perhaps one major caretaker.
The interest in few things is also part of it. Their interest seems to be hyperfocused on these things & they'll read, talk, do these things to the exclusion of many other things. They can't be easily deterred from their interests.
Does any of this sound like you?
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> Could I have been misdiagnosed???
> HI I was diagnosed with tourret's syndrome when I was a young child. I read that people with asperger's get misdiagnosed with tourrett's or other disorders (add, odd) . I fit most of the description of asperger's(higher functioning autism) I am interested in very few things, I do repetitive activities over and over every day, look away upon meeting some people etc. and as a child I always learning things differently from other child and wanted to socialize but just didn't know how... I know you guys can't diagnose me but does it sound like I have asperger's instead of tourrett's all along? I just saw a psychologist recently and she diagnosed me with borderline and avoidant personality instead!
> any input would be appreciated. thanks
poster:IsoM
thread:87154
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011213/msgs/87216.html