Higher Level ASD - What does it mean

I have 'high-functioning' asperger's. I am 'high-functioning' in the sense that I learnt to speak on time, have no problems with language-in fact, it is my strength-and my asperger's is very subtle. I can come across to a layman as 'normal', and my behaviour is often mis-interpreted as shyness, youthfulness or immaturity. People are often very surprised when I tell them that I am 23 years old. They often think that I am still a teenager! I am a very small, slight person, with a small child-like face (I used to not like this, but now I think it is quite a good thing to look so young!).  I also have a very young voice (or so I have been told).

I have always looked way younger than my years. Perhaps this is why my AS was not diagnosed when I was a child-I may have got a way with a lot more than I would have done if I looked my age.

Because my verbal skills are so good and because I have a lot of insight into my condition, I have been able to mask my AS by learning the basic rules of conversation. I am a keen observer, and I am good at  learning things in an intellectual manner. However, AS affects my entire life. I am extremely self-absorbed, obsessive, phobic and rule-based. I have never been able to understand the rules of friendship, always have to monitor my behaviour when I am in public, all because social skills do not come naturally to me.

I did receive a statement of special needs when I was at school, due to impairments in fine motor skills, problems with organization and practical skills. My parents were often called into school due to the fact that I was disruptive in class. My problems were first identified when I started nursury school, it was just that no name was put to them.

From my experience, I think that HFA and asperger's syndrome are different. People with asperger's are often better able to mask their symptoms, tend to be more social and have better verbal abilities than those with HFA. However, HFA and asperger's are both part of the same condition-autism-and often people with HFA become more asperger like as they get older, although I have always met the asperger criteria

Diagnosed on NHS with asperger and OCD two years ago. I am female

I have 'high-functioning' asperger's. I am 'high-functioning' in the sense that I learnt to speak on time, have no problems with language-in fact, it is my strength-and my asperger's is very subtle. I can come across to a layman as 'normal', and my behaviour is often mis-interpreted as shyness, youthfulness or immaturity. People are often very surprised when I tell them that I am 23 years old. They often think that I am still a teenager! I am a very small, slight person, with a small child-like face (I used to not like this, but now I think it is quite a good thing to look so young!).  I also have a very young voice (or so I have been told).

I have always looked way younger than my years. Perhaps this is why my AS was not diagnosed when I was a child-I may have got a way with a lot more than I would have done if I looked my age.

Because my verbal skills are so good and because I have a lot of insight into my condition, I have been able to mask my AS by learning the basic rules of conversation. I am a keen observer, and I am good at  learning things in an intellectual manner. However, AS affects my entire life. I am extremely self-absorbed, obsessive, phobic and rule-based. I have never been able to understand the rules of friendship, always have to monitor my behaviour when I am in public, all because social skills do not come naturally to me.

I did receive a statement of special needs when I was at school, due to impairments in fine motor skills, problems with organization and practical skills. My parents were often called into school due to the fact that I was disruptive in class. My problems were first identified when I started nursury school, it was just that no name was put to them.

From my experience, I think that HFA and asperger's syndrome are different. People with asperger's are often better able to mask their symptoms, tend to be more social and have better verbal abilities than those with HFA. However, HFA and asperger's are both part of the same condition-autism-and often people with HFA become more asperger like as they get older, although I have always met the asperger criteria

Diagnosed on NHS with asperger and OCD two years ago. I am female