When I
attended an autism conference, one of the speakers, Jennifer O'Toole, listed a
number of traits of Asperger’s which included
Liking rules
Liking grammar
Being grammar
Nazis
Liking
writing
Using
calendars
Teaching
Having friends
who are older or younger than you are
(note that
this isn’t a complete list because I did not have room here to list every
symptom and trait)
Hm. These
kind of all apply to me. So, does at mean that I have Asperger’s? I don't think
so.
Just because
someone likewise writing, teaching, grammar, staying in, and organization does
not mean that someone has Asperger’s.
Many people
know facts no rules because it is their job: chemists with the periodic table,
biologists with organisms, historians with dates, and mathematicians and
engineers with formulas. Knowing facts does not make one an autistic, it can
simply make someone an expert and good at school and their job.
Just because
someone is a teacher does not mean that he or she has Asperger’s. Just because
someone has friends younger or older than they are does not mean that they have
Asperger’s. It means that that person can be sociable and make friends with
people older and younger, which is a benefit in the workplace where people work
with people who are all different
ages.
Bottom line:
don't rush to get your label or discovery of Asperger’s, because maybe that’s
who you are anyway. Instead of blaming your success or quirks on Asperger’s,
attribute them to your own person and characteristics. You are not Asperger’s.
You are you.