Do you look younger than your age?

My daughter is 21 but looks about 15. When she was assessed and asked her name she couldn't believe her age but then did say people with ASD typically look younger and are 5 years behind emotionally.

The last time someone complimented me they thought I was about 10 years younger.

However, my hair’s a lot greyer now, so the gap’s likely to have narrowed.

Absolutely – there could be a connection between looking younger than our age and autism. I can relate to this personally, as well as through my experience as a life coach to individuals on the autism spectrum. The differences in our physical appearance compared to others of similar ages is something many autistics have experienced.

First off, it’s important to note that each person with autism is unique; everyone experiences the condition differently. However, genetic factors may play an important role in how we look and feel about ourselves. Autism often results from a mutation or alteration of one or more genes passed down from parents or relatives, which can lead to changes in hormones and other bodily processes that affect our physical features such as height, weight, facial features and even skin tone. Additionally, behaviors associated with autism may contribute further: for example many autistic people take extra care over their skincare routines due to sensory sensitivities; this factor alone can keep skin looking fresher for longer by helping ward off wrinkles and maintaining elasticity!

Of course there are also lifestyle choices that can help preserve your youthful glow such as eating healthily (variety of foods) alongside plenty of restful sleep - both things which are known health benefits for those living with autism. Stress-reduction techniques such yoga/mindfulness practice will minimize cortisol levels (a hormone linked to ageing), plus staying hydrated throughout the day helps flush out free radicals responsible for signs of aging like dullness/fine lines etc.. So if you find yourself wondering why you don't appear 'older' despite your age don't panic - focus instead on adopting healthy habits during every season of life – it's amazing how much difference this can make!

You lucky bunch of people, looking younger.  

Someone noticed that I had a completely grey hair on my head when I was 19.  

Excellent.  How lovely to hear.

I'm 78 and recently went Go-Karting with my son who for some reason --- while queuing --- remarked to one of the marshalls "how old do you think my dad is?"  He said "65?"   This is a common response!

Agreed.  But my struggle is not what I'm trying to decipher of other peoples perception of me.......my struggle is, was and remains deciphering what I think of my own reality or my perception of it !

I know - this all strays into meta bs - but I think it is worth voicing these things.  Its the internal battles with ourselves and our own perceptions, and our own perceptions of other peoples perceptions that ultimately pose the risk to our mental health.

A couple of our number are struggling....it makes you think.

Oh man.  Don't get me started on numbers.  I'm a crazy mix of chaos with the digits and linear time and measurements.  I'm definitely somewhat 'other' in these respects.  Don't know or care too deeply....but like I say, interesting though.

Yes, I find this too - that perception of reality is so different in one person to the next. We’re in our own reality bubbles to some extent, each looking through different glasses. It’s why sometimes you’ll get someone say ‘isn’t your man there the spitting image of… so and so (famous usually)’ and one person will say ‘yes!’ And another will say ‘not even remotely’. But each thinks the other is blind.  
 
Three people in my life have independently concluded and told me that I look like a certain baldy royal but never has anyone else  brought up the same comparison even slightly. In work there was even a ‘who does everyone look like’ chat one day and I waited to see if that one would be said. Nope. And I wasn’t going to lead the witness so have never prompted the comparison (mostly because I don’t really see it myself).  So, reality is just fundamentally weird like that. How do we rely on anyone’s lens as perceiving something reliably definitive… we can’t. 

You don’t remember by what margin? I know someone else who told me this too. I asked was he just a year off at least and he said no, sometimes several. His brain just can’t hold the number. I can’t even imagine not being able to approximate but it shows how different we all are. 

Yes - me.  I get guessed at.....and they are generally EITHER 6 years too young OR 6 years too old.

I don't care because I don't really remember nor care for my own age.  It is interesting though.

I seem to be the only (part time) exception! Does nobody else get completely opposing statements on the matter, causing them much inner confusion?! 

Yes! How interesting. I've always hated it... it's given people an excuse to patronise me or not take me seriously professionally. "Aww... but you look about 12... don't worry it's a compliment". Leaves me seething. ID at pubs and supermarket right into my 30s. 

It has reduced recently, probably because I've become more guarded, but to be honest I've probably just, in late 30s, reached the tipping point of being grateful for looking young, while peers are losing hair / going grey maybe I'm winning on this occasion!

A lot of it is probably random, but I wonder whether some autistic traits and mannerisms are considered "child-like" on first appearance.

Thank you all for your replies.

I wonder if there is a connection between the two

Food for thought.

I feel you. I think people tend to treat you how you look, like it's instinct or something.

Yeah, when I'm in a new social situation people tend to not take me seriously or I can be invisible sometimes, for many reasons but I think one of them is that they think that I'm a kid 

Yes this is something that I have been told quite a lot and have noticed myself. When I tell people my age they say I don't look it. And when I've been out I've even had people ask why I'm not at school LOL.

It's nice but can be irritating sometimes as I get mothered a lot and still treated like a kid.

I think they were looking for my responsible adult's permission to pat me down. They looked somewhat concerned when I pointed at a couple of my slightly older male friends and said I'm flying with them, until the penny dropped and they asked "wait, how old are you?"

Read something similar in the news about airport security. A person who got different surname to there parents and airport security thought the person was kidnapped. 

I've got a double barrelled surname.

Yes, I always looked younger than I am. Always was fresh faced.