Undiagnosed Asperger's (now part of Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD) in adults often presents as challenges with social skills, communication nuances, intense focused interests, and sensory sensitivities, leading to social anxiety, feeling misunderstood, preferring routines, noticing details others miss, and sometimes appearing blunt or awkward, often masked by learned coping strategies. Common signs include difficulty with small talk, understanding nonverbal cues, managing sensory overload (lights, sounds), rigid routines, and deep dives into specific hobbies, making friendships hard to form or maintain.
May not recognize verbal and non-verbal cues or understand social norms. For example, they may stare at others, not make eye contact, or not know what personal space means. May have speech that's flat and hard to understand. It lacks tone, pitch, and accent.
Some of the effects of unaddressed or untreated Asperger's syndrome may include: Social isolation. Difficulty making and keeping friends. Challenges in finding and maintaining steady employment.
Most people are unaware of the symptoms of Asperger's syndrome. They include an unusually high IQ and a difficulty surviving in the social world. The fact that the symptoms vary in gender doesn't help.
Difficulty with social interactions and social language. Not understanding emotions well or having less facial expression than others. Not using or understanding nonverbal communication, such as gestures, body language, and facial expression. Conversations that revolve around themselves or a certain topic.
HOUSTON–Doctors often diagnose children with attention deficit disorders, learning disabilities or bipolar disorder when their patients actually have Asperger's—a developmental disorder that inhibits the ability to socialize well with others.
The "6-second rule" for autism is a communication strategy where a speaker pauses for about six seconds after asking a question or giving information, giving the autistic person extra time to process it without feeling rushed, which helps reduce anxiety and allows for a more thoughtful response, reducing frustration for both parties. Instead of repeating or rephrasing, which can be confusing, you wait, and if needed, repeat the exact same words after the pause.
Around 90% of autism cases are attributed to genetic factors, meaning autism is highly heritable, with many different genes contributing, rather than a single cause, often interacting with environmental influences during early brain development, though specific environmental factors don't cause it but can increase risk. Twin studies show strong genetic links, with concordance rates between 60-90% in identical twins, and research points to complex interactions of many genes and prenatal/perinatal factors.
If you have low support needs (high-functioning autism), you may have symptoms such as: Not making direct eye contact. Having a hard time making friends (or preferring to be alone) Not understanding social “rules” or norms.
Other signs of autism
Affected individuals display considerably impaired capacity for social interaction, unusual special interests, and a tendency towards ritualized behavior.
Dan Aykroyd, the famous actor and comedian renowned for his roles in films like Ghostbusters, has had a remarkable journey with Asperger's syndrome.
Masking is a strategy used by some autistic people, consciously or unconsciously, to appear non-autistic. While this strategy can help them get by at school, work and in social situations, it can have a devastating impact on mental health, sense of self and access to an autism diagnosis.
It might be hard for the child (or adult) with autism to walk up to another person and start talking to them. They might not like talking that much and prefer to keep to themselves. On the other hand, some people with autism might overshare and might not know when to let the other person have a turn to talk.
are able to easily forgive others. are conscientious, reliable, and honest. are enthusiastic and have a propensity for obsessive research, thus developing a broad and deep base of knowledge in subjects of interest. are free of prejudice.
Here are 10 signs of Asperger's in adults that you may notice in yourself or others:
In autistic people this can result in a meltdown (the equivalent of the 'fight' response) which is often mistaken for a temper tantrum. Meltdowns can be expressed verbally (eg, shouting, growling, or crying), physically (eg, kicking or flapping) or a mixture of both ways.
How Autism Shapes Social Cue Recognition
A: Both parents can carry genes associated with autism, even if they don't show any signs themselves. These genes can be passed down to children through either the mother, the father, or both.
Key signs include social challenges, unique communication styles, intense but socially acceptable interests, and high sensitivity to sensory stimuli. Masking, or camouflaging symptoms to fit in, is common among autistic females and can lead to significant mental health impacts.
It's something you're born with. Signs of autism might be noticed when you're very young, or not until you're older. If you're autistic, you're autistic your whole life. Autism is not a medical condition with treatments or a "cure".
Chinning is a form of repetitive self-stimulatory behavior (stimming) that you may notice in children or adults with autism. It involves pressing, rubbing, or holding the chin against objects, surfaces, or even hands to gain sensory input or comfort.
"Looping" in autism, often called "autism looping," is a non-clinical term for getting stuck in repetitive thought patterns, questions, or phrases, like a broken record, often due to anxiety, sensory overload, or a need for resolution, making it hard to switch focus and causing stress, overlapping with perseveration and rumination. It can manifest as replaying conversations, worrying intensely, or repeating sounds/words (echolalia) as a way to process or self-regulate.
Children with autism may exhibit rigidity, inflexibility and certain types of repetitive behavior such as: Insistence on following a specific routine. Having difficulty accepting changes in the schedule. A strong preoccupation with a particular interest.