To ask some questions about autism?

[SunsetsInVenice]

In a sensitive way as I don't want to cause offence.
Don't want to give too much away as worried it will be outing. But is it possible to have autism and be-

1. Able to read people very easily and understand how they are feeling.
2. Brilliant imagination and able to write well around the viewpoint of being someone else.
3. Is able to see things from all different perspectives and can read between the lines.

But is also extremely shy, weird voice inflections, looks really young for age and anxious?

Boy or girl?

Yes. Both me and my DD are that way and have Autism.

Girl.

Yup, you’ve described me nicely.

My son has very typical "old fashioned" autism. The old fashioned triad of impairment.
But thats no longer used for a reason, people with autism come in many different varieties these days!
Two of my sons are diagnosed ASD and if I'm honest I suspect my other son has it also.
I'm constantly asked if I'm adhd and I suspect so. So there are maybe other neurodiverse things that may present like autism but not be?

Whatever it is good luck with getting it looked into!

Yup my daughter and myself are like this.

BTW I thought the triad of impairments was still used?! Is it not!?

Ds struggles socially but he's really perceptive about other people and has really good empathy and is very kind.

He has an amazing imagination. He is emotionally young for his age.

@ButterflyBiscuit I was told it wasn't, maybe its something some do/don't 🤷🏼‍♀️
Autism has changed regularly last few years

Yes, my son ticks most of those boxes. He's not shy though.

The triad of impairments was replaced by a dyad a few years back. It is very much still a core part of identifying autism, though the language around impairment is problematic.

This may help OP.

The DSM-5 Manual defines autism spectrum disorder as “persistent difficulties with social communication and social interaction” and “restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests” (this includes sensory behaviour), present since early childhood, to the extent that these “limit and impair everyday functioning”.

www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/diagnosis/diagnostic-criteria/all-audiences

Yes, this is me. I'm diagnosed autistic.

None of the people I know with diagnosed autism can do all 3 of these things. They are all male though if it makes a difference.

The Theory of Mind stuff is a bit outdated, especially in adults. I'm autistic, and yes, I had impaired ToM as a child, but I'd figured out by about 6 or so.

I knew theory if mind was outdated. And the wording around impairments - but I didn't realise the triad was. That was from Lorna Wing wasn't it?

What's it been replaced with!? I got the impression they're still using triad here (I have forms to give back to the GP I havent filled in but haven't looked at them recently to be sure - it's very much about impairing quality of living.)

Interesting. I'm on a pathway to be diagnosed for ASC, and yes I can do all of these ^

Yep that’s me and I suspect I have ADHD and possibly ASD (not diagnosed) but my daughter however is diagnosed ASD/ADHD and is not like this at all.

They have adjusted it slightly to be social and communication, routine and sensory I think. I have sat through a lot of training: (pre and post diagnosis)

Yes - I got given a DSM V diagnosis when it had just come out, because they couldn't diagnose me under anything older. It's more inclusive of people like me who had significant social and communication impairment when younger but through hard work have mostly nailed it as an adult.

That's particularly useful because those underlying deficits are still there, and emerge in me under stress, whether or not I can manage to "perform" them for an assessment.

I'd love to know more. In rl I often support parents whose kids are autistic and I do need to pursue my own diagnosis.

I know I'm autistic but being able to have the words to explain why and hoop jump is hard Id really like updating!

Yes Absolutely.