Published on 12, July, 2020
Hey I'm May, I'm 17yo.
I'm almost a legal adult...
and for some reason people baby talk me when they find out I'm autistic (・_・;)
Ofc I do need some accomodations and I understand some of my interests might be seen as childish, but I have adult friends that also like "childish things" and aren't treated this way.
I notice that people, especially at school started treating me like a baby after they found out about the diagnosis, some of them even talk to me in a characteristic baby voice people use when talking to a toddler.
like, I won't deny I can act like a kid sometimes but that doesn't mean I want people to treat me like one?
this also happened because I have a comfort stuffed animal called Teddy Gerard Bear, he's an emo teddy bear with cool tatoos and piercings that I take everywhere with me because it helps me with meltdowns etc. But at school he's either in my backpack or on my table but untouched. it's not like I'm playing house with it or something.
I'm there to study like everyone else and the plushie does not distract me neither I use it like a toy.
I'm just there vibing like any teenager, and I have other friends that take cool plushies to school too.
But I think it's a mix of it + my diagnosis that makes people view me as younger wich is honestly annoying because they get really surprised when I swear or talk about things like alcohol (wich I obviously don't drink because I'm underage....)
and I really want this infantilization to stop, but I won't give up things that give me comfort like Teddy.
Does anyone else dealt or deals with it too? if yes, do you have any tips for it to stop?
(I'm honestly considering just telling everyone to f off and see if they get the message)
I'm glad you find masking easier now :)
What kind of job would you go into if you could? I don't work yet but I don't know what I'd like to do. X
I have this problem too and I’m 54! I like to take herbie my toy pig with me to hospital appointments but as soon as they see him and my ‘autistic’ notes they talk to me like I’m a baby. I’ve started doing a sarcastic baby voice back, they soon get the message.
it's possible to get used to everything. It used to be annoying before developing a habit that In return they do not get attitude I'd give a customer otherwise, they get cold and unwilling to make an extra mile, instead of friendly and eager to help. Under my mask of course, which is either neutral flat-face or slight smile flat-face depending on how I feel. After my discovery about alexithymia few months back my masking improved a lot. I could play poker now :D What would I give for a job that's not customer service
That must be so annoying for you x
I get it from customers sometimes, and I can't escape
My uncle and aunt-in-law talk down to me; that way. But I just distance myself.
you will see how annoying it can be when they treat you like a child and you're 40, just because you're looking younger
I feel you. I'm in my 20s and people still do this to me which can be annoying lol. My step sister does it most but I've noticed nurses do it to me as well. I think facially I still look a lot younger and it doesn't help this.
I don't envy you
school was the worst part of my life, it got better from high school
that makes sense and it sucks.
I can't really ghost my classmates but I don't really talk to the ones who do that.
you do well on ignoring them
Hi
I'm a bit older. 43y.o. now and my experience with people is that often when you ask to stop doing something that you find unpleasant they ignore your request or even laugh, asking if I'm crazy. So I don't have any solution. Except I start ghosting those people who ignore my request.