I am an autistic psychologist who specializes in identifying autism.
Manyautistic adultsI know have shared similar aha moments after realizing their neurotype.
Unfortunately, many autistic people are not identified until later in life.
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I also made it into my 30s before anyone realized I was autistic.
This includes the supervisors and experts who trained me indiagnosing autismin my clients.
Here are five signs I overlooked in my childhood that might have told me I was autistic.
In other words, if you are autistic, youve been autistic your entire life.
Some autistic people are identified at a very young age.
At the same time,atypical developmentdoes not always mean delays.
Now, I recognize that my early development was a sign of my autism.
Special Interests
I have always been the kind of person withintense interests.
When I like something, I dive into it fully.
Except no one had asked me to do a project.
Show me aneurotypicalchild who writes term papers for fun.
I had a best friend through elementary school, and we were both identified as autistic inadulthood.
(It was also the ’90s, so we might have been overlooked, anyway.
The point is there is more to autistic communication than assessing whether or not someone has friends.)
I am one of the lucky ones who has both of these traits depending on the situation.
I have always preferred tight clothing, but before adolescence, I could not tolerate the feeling of jeans.
I have always liked food with intense, spicy flavors, but certain food textures immediately make me gag.
Bottom Line
It is never too late to get to know yourself better.
If you suspect you might be neurodivergent, listen to experiences from that community and see what resonates.
2022;26(2):552-559.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).Screening and Diagnosis.
Published online February 2, 2024:13623613241228328. doi:10.1177/13623613241228329
